Long non-coding RNA ILF3-AS1 promotes proliferation and metastasis of colorectal cancer cells by recruiting histone methylase EZH2 to induce H3K27me3 and downregulate CDKN2A

Abstract The role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) has been displayed in colorectal cancer (CRC), here, we aimed to discuss the role of lncRNA interleukin enhancer-binding factor 3-antisense RNA 1 (ILF3-AS1)/enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2)/cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2 (CDKN2A)/H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) in cell proliferation and metastasis of CRC. ILF3-AS1, EZH2, and CDKN2A levels in CRC tissues and cells were detected. The relationship between ILF3-AS1/EZH2 expression and the clinicopathological features of CRC was analyzed. High/low expression of ILF3-AS1/EZH2 plasmids were composed to explore the function of ILF3-AS1/EZH2 in invasion, migration, proliferation, colony formation and apoptosis of CRC cells. The growth status of nude mice were observed to verify the in vitro results from in vivo experiment. ILF3-AS1 and EZH2 increased while CDKN2A reduced in CRC tissues and cells. ILF3-AS1 and EZH2 expression were linked to Duke stage, distant metastasis, vascular invasion and lymph node metastasis of CRC patients. Depleted ILF3-AS1 or reduced EZH2 suppressed proliferation, migration, colony formation and invasion ability as well as facilitated apoptosis of CRC cells and attenuated the tumor growth in CRC mice. ILF3-AS1 accelerates the proliferation and metastasis of CRC cells by recruiting histone methylase EZH2 to induce trimethylation of H3K27 and downregulate CDKN2A.