LncRNA NCK1-AS1 Facilitates Colorectal Carcinoma Proliferation by Modulating the IGF1/AKT Signaling Pathway: A Detailed Study

The study aimed to investigate the regulatory effects of lncRNA NCK1-AS1 on colorectal carcinoma (CRC) proliferation and the involvement of the IGF1/AKT signaling. The study detected the expression levels of NCK1-AS1 in paired CRC and normal tissues using qRT-PCR and analyzed its prognostic value in CRC through the Kaplan-Meier method. The study assessed the proliferative ability in HT-29 and HCT-8 cells after transfection of sh-NCK1-AS1 through CCK-8, colony formation, and EdU assay. The study determined the protein levels of IGF1 and AKT in CRC cells with NCK1-AS1 knockdown by Western blot and verified the binding relationship between NCK1-AS1 and IGF1 through the dual-luciferase reporter assay. The study also examined the role of IGF1 in CRC process through a series of rescue experiments. The study found that NCK1-AS1 was highly expressed in CRC tissues and had a prognostic value. Knockdown of NCK1-AS1 markedly suppressed the proliferative ability of CRC cells. The study also showed that NCK1-AS1 promoted the proliferative ability of CRC cells by activating the IGF1/AKT signaling. Therefore, NCK1-AS1 is a potential indicator for predicting poor prognosis of CRC. In conclusion, highly abundant NCK1-AS1 in CRC tissues triggers cancer cell proliferation by activating the IGF1/AKT signaling.