Long non-coding RNA ZFAS1 promotes nasopharyngeal carcinoma through activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression characteristics of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) ZFAS1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and to further investigate the role and mechanism of ZFAS1 in the occurrence and development of NPC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 76 surgical excision samples from newly diagnosed NPC patients and 76 cases of paracancerous tissues were selected. The expression of ZFAS1 was detected by qRT-PCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction), and the relationship between the expression of ZFAS1 and the clinical prognosis of patients with NPC was analyzed. After the knockdown, the expression of ZFAS1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE-1 by small interfering RNA, the effect of ZFAS1 on the biological function of NPC cells was analyzed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), colony formation assay, flow cytometry and apoptosis assay. The effect of ZFAS1 on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway was analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: After analyzing the clinical data of enrolled patients, we found that ZFAS1 was overexpressed in NPC patients, which was closely correlated with tumor size and lymph node metastasis of NPC. Moreover, ZFAS1 was negatively correlated to the survival of NPC patients. After interfering with the expression of ZFAS1, the proliferation of NPC cells was significantly decreased, the cell cycle was inhibited and the apoptosis rate was increased. Western Blot showed that ZFAS1 promoted the occurrence of NPC by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. CONCLUSIONS: ZFAS1 was overexpressed in NPC and was significantly related to tumor size, lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis of NPC. ZFAS1 could promote NPC by activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway.