Long non‐coding RNA‐H19promotes ovarian cancer cell proliferation and migration via the microRNA‐140/Wnt1 axis

To explore the effect and underlying molecular mechanism of long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA)‐H19 on ovarian cancer (OC) cells, a total of 41 cases of OC and adjacent normal tissues were collected. H19 and microRNA (miR)‐140 expressions in OC tissues and cells were detected using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐RCR). The correlation between H19 expression and prognosis of OC patient was analyzed. siRNA (si)‐H19 and si‐negative control (NC) were transfected into OC cells. Cell proliferation was checked by cell counting kit‐8 assay and colony formation assay, and cell migration and invasion were analyzed via Transwell assay. The targeted binding relationship between H19 and miR‐140 was predicted and verified, miR‐140 downstream gene was predicted and Wnt1 was screened out. The impact of in‐miR‐140 on the si‐H19‐induced decreased OC cell proliferation and migration was evaluated. H19 expression was upregulated in OC tissues and cells, and its overexpression was associated with a poor prognosis of OC. si‐H19 remarkably reduced OC cell proliferation and migration. H19 upregulated Wnt1 expression through targeting miR‐140 in OC cells. Altogether, miR‐140 was notably downregulated in OC, and in‐miR‐140 partially inhibited the si‐H19‐induced decrease of OC cell proliferation and migration. H19 competitively bound to miR‐140 to upregulate Wnt1, thereby promoting OC cell proliferation and migration.