LncRNA GNAS-AS1 participates in the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells by regulating the miR 449a/Notch1 axis.

Objective To explore the impacts of long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) GNAS antisense RNA1 (GNAS-AS1) on the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer ( GC) cells by regulating the miR-449a/ Notch1 axis. Method Tumor tissue and adjacent tissue samples were collected from 30 patients diagnosed with GC at Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital from September 2013 to September 2017; GC cells AGS were randomly divided into Control group, si-NC group, si-GNAS-AS1 group, si-GNAS-AS1+inhibitor NC group, and si-GNAS-AS1+miR-449a inhibitor group. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR method was applied to detect the expression of GNAS-AS1, miR-449a, and Notch1 mRNA; MTT experiments and plate cloning experiments were applied to detect the proliferation ; wound healing test was applied to detect cell migration ; Transwell experiment was applied to detect cell invasion. Western Blot was applied to detect the expression of Notch1, E-cadherin, Vimentin, and N-cadherin proteins. Double Luciferase reporter gene experiment was applied to verify the relationship between GNAS-AS1 and miR-449a, between miR-449a and Notch1, respectively. Results Compared with adjacent tissues, the expression of GNAS-AS1 and Notch1 mRNA in tumor tissue was increased, the expression of miR-449a was reduced (P < 0.05). Compared with the Control group and si-NC group, the expression of GNAS-AS1, OD490 value, number of clones formed, scratch healing rate, number of cell invasions, and the expression of Notch1, Vimentin, and N-cadherin proteins in AGS cells in the si-GNAS-AS1 group reduced, the expression of miR-449a and E-cadherin protein increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the si-GNAS-ASl group and the si-GNAS-ASl+inhibitor NC group, the OD490 value, scratch healing rate, number of cell invasions, Notch1, Vimentin, and N-cadherin expression in the si-GNAS-AS1+miR-449a inhibitor group increased, the expression of miR-449a and E-cadherin protein reduced (P < 0.05). GNAS-AS1 targeted and negatively regulated miR-449a expression, while miR-449a targeted and negatively regulated Notch1 expression. Conclusion Silencing GNAS-AS1 may inhibit the expression of Notchl protein by up-regulating miR-449a, thereby inhibiting the proliferation, migration, and invasion processes of GC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]