Long noncoding RNA UBE2R2-AS1 promotes glioma cell apoptosis via targeting the miR-877-3p/TLR4 axis

Wu Xu,1 Guo-Qing Hu,1 Clive Da Costa,2 Jun-Hai Tang,3 Qing-Rui Li,4 Lei Du,5 Ya-Wen Pan,6 Sheng-Qing Lv31Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, People’s Republic of China; 2Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK; 3Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, People’s Republic of China; 4Biobank of Institute of Pathology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Neurosurgery, The 42nd Hospital of the Chinese People‘s Liberation Army, Leshan City, Sichuan 614100, People’s Republic of China; 6Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, People’s Republic of ChinaIntroduction: Brain glioma is the most common type of primary malignancy in the central nervous system (CNS), with high recurrence and mortality rate, especially glioblastoma (GBM). Recent evidence suggests a role for many long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the pathogenesis, proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and chemotherapeutic resistance of cancer cells. Although the functions of some lncRNAs in the occurrence and development of gliomas have been confirmed, detailed mechanisms of action are lacking. Furthermore, the biological roles of many other lncRNAs in glioma have not been reported at all.Methods: In this study, we identified a novel lncRNA, UBE2R2-AS1, which was dramatically downregulated in glioma compared with normal tissue, by performing microarray detection of six pairs of glioma samples and adjacent normal tissues. In vitro experiments demonstrated that UBE2R2-AS1 regulated glioma cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration.Results: UBE2R2-AS1 acted as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to target Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mRNA by binding to miR-877-3p. Furthermore, lncRNA UBE2R2-AS1 suppressed glioblastoma cell growth, migration, and invasion, as well as promoting cell apoptosis by targeting miR-877-3p/TLR4 directly.Conclusion: This information regarding UBE2R2-AS1 and its glioma-related molecular mechanisms will aid the future identification of new lncRNA-directed diagnostics and drug-targeting therapies.Keywords: apoptosis, brain glioma, lncRNA, miR-877-3p/TLR4, UBE2R2-AS