LINC00917 Promotes Bone Metastasis of Breast Cancer by Targeting the miR-491-5p/FOXP4 Axis.

Purpose: Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women. Advanced patients often experience distant metastasis, among which bone metastasis has a relatively high incidence rate, seriously affecting the quality of life and prognosis of patients. LINC00917 may be related to the prognosis of breast cancer patients. This study aims to explore whether LINC00917 plays a significant role in breast cancer bone metastasis by targeting and regulating the expression of miR-491-5p.

Patients and methods: 254 breast cancer patients were recruited. The levels of LINC00917 were examined by RT-qPCR. Furthermore, the association between LINC00917 expression and patient prognosis was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis. An in vitro cell model was established, and CCK-8 and Transwell assays were conducted to explore the role of LINC00917 in breast cancer bone metastasis. Additionally, the interaction among LINC00917, miR-491-5p, and FOXP4 were examined using dual-luciferase reporter assays.

Results: LINC00917 was upregulated in breast cancer bone metastasis and was associated with bad prognosis. Additionally, the knockdown of LINC00917 inhibited the function of breast cancer cells, and suppressed osteoclastogenesis while promoting osteoblast differentiation. Moreover, miR-491-5p inhibition counteracted the effects of LINC00917 knockdown on cell models. Furthermore, FOXP4 may be a target gene of miR-491-5p.

Conclusion: LINC00917 is a potential prognostic indicator for breast cancer bone metastasis. It is proposed that LINC00917 may facilitate the bone metastasis process in breast cancer by modulating the miR-491-5p/FOXP4 axis.