Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) is an important transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory molecule in the body. In recent years, relationship between LncRNA and malignant phenotype of tumor cells has been revealed gradually. This study aims to investigate the expression characteristics of pit-oct-unc class 3 homeobox 3 related long non-coding RNA (Linc-POU3F3) in esophageal cancer and its relationship with radiation resistance (IR) as well as the expressions of cancer stem cell (CSC) markers in esophageal cancer cells. METHODS: The expression characteristics and potential interaction molecules of Linc-POU3F3 in esophageal cancer were collected from the public database via bioinformatics retrieval. Forty-two pair samples of esophageal cancer tissues and corresponding adjacent tissues were collected. Human normal esophageal epithelial cells (HEEC) and human esophageal cancer cell lines (ECA109, TE-1, TE-2, TE-13) were cultured. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to detect the expression level of Linc-POU3F3 in clinical tissues and cells. The formation of TE-13 IR cell line induced by different doses of radiation served as IR group cells, and the same condition treated with 0 Gy dose was set as control group (control) cells. Meanwhile, we used cell transfection technology to construct random interference sequence (siControl) cells and interference (siLinc-POU3F3) cells. In ECA109 cells, we transfected blank and over expressed Linc-POU3F3 plasmids as vector and over-expressed group (oeLinc-POU3F3). The mRNA and protein expressions of CD44, CD133 and CD90 were detected by qPCR and Western blotting, respectively. MTS [3-(4,5-dimenthylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt] was used to detect the cell viability under different radiation doses, and the resistance of IR cells was verified by clone formation experiment. RESULTS: The expression of Linc-POU3F3 was correlated with the tumor progression and poor prognosis of esophageal cancer. The level of Linc-POU3F3 mRNA expression was significantly higher in esophageal cancer tissues and cell lines than that in normal adjacent tissues and cell lines (all P<0.01). The expressions of Linc-POU3F3 mRNA and protein expressions of CD44, CD133, and CD90 in IR cells were significantly higher than those in control cells (all P<0.01). The expression of Linc-POU3F3 in siLinc-POU3F3 cell was significantly lower than that in the siControl cells (P<0.01), and the inhibition rate was 87.21%. The mRNA and protein expressions of CD44, CD133, and CD90 in the siLinc-POU3F3 cells were significantly lower than those in the siControl cells (all P<0.05). The expressions of linc-POU3F3, CD44, CD133, and CD90 mRNA and protein in the oeLinc-POU3F3 cells were significantly higher than those in the vector cells. The relative activity and clone formation ability in the IR cells were significantly higher than those in the control cells at 2, 4, and 8 Gy doses (all P<0.01). The relative activity in the siLinc-POU3F3 cells was significantly lower than that in the siControl cells at 4 and 8 Gy doses (P<0.01). The relative activity in the oeLinc-POU3F3 cells was significantly higher than that in the vector cells at 4 and 8 Gy doses (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Linc-POU3F3 is up-regulated in esophageal cancer and can promote IR and the expression of CSC markers in esophageal cancer cells.