Long non-coding RNA SNHG15 indicates poor prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer and promotes cell proliferation and invasion.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of human long non-coding ribonucleic acid (RNA) small nucleolar RNA host gene 15 (SNHG15) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and its prognostic significance, and to study the influencing mechanism of SNHG15 on biological functions in lung cancer cell lines. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The expression levels of SNHG15 in 49 pairs of lung cancer tissues and para-carcinoma tissues were detected via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The lung cancer cells were transiently transfected with small-interfering (si)-SNHG15 using RNA interference technique. The effect of si-SNHG15 on the proliferation of lung cancer cells was observed via methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, its effect on apoptosis of A549 cells was detected via Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry, and its effects on invasion and migration of A549 cells were studied via wound healing assay and transwell assay. RESULTS: Results of qRT-PCR showed that the expression of SNHG15 in cancer tissues was increased compared with that in para-carcinoma tissues. Results of cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay showed that knocking down SNHG15 could significantly inhibit the proliferation of lung cancer A549 cells. Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry revealed that knocking down SNHG15 could significantly promote apoptosis of A549 cells. Wound healing assay and transwell assay revealed that knocking down SNHG15 could significantly inhibit the invasion and metastasis capacities of lung cancer A549 cells. Results of Western blotting showed that knocking down SNHG15 could inhibit the invasion and metastasis of A549 cells through inhibiting the expressions of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 in cells. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of SNHG15 in lung cancer tissues is significantly higher than that in para-carcinoma tissues, the prognosis of patients accompanied with a high expression of SNHG15 is poor, and knockdown of SNHG15 in A549 cells can inhibit cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, and promote apoptosis.