LncRNA LINC01116 Regulates the Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion of Cervical Cancer Cells by Targeting miR-744-5p

Objective. To investigate the effects and potential molecular mechanisms of LncRNA LINC01116 on proliferation, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells. Method(s). The content of miR-744-5p and LINC01116 in cervical cancer cells HeLa, SiHa, and C33a was detected by RT-PCR, the proliferative activity and clone number of SiHa cells were determined by MTT and clone formation assay, the number of invaded and migrated cells was determined by Transwell assay, the expressions of Cyclin D1 and MMP-2 in cells were detected by Western blot, and the activity of luciferase detected by dual-luciferase reporting system verified the regulatory relationship between LINC01116 and miR-744-5p. Result(s). Compared with human normal cervical epithelial cells Ect1/E6E7, the content of LINC01116 in cervical cancer cells HeLa, SiHa, and C33a was increased significantly [( $1.04\pm 0.12$ ) vs. ( $3.34\pm 0.38$ )/( $4.48\pm 0.45$ )/( $3.59\pm 0.45$ )] ( $P<0.05$ ), the content of miR-744-5p was decreased significantly [( $0.98\pm 0.09$ ) vs. ( $0.39\pm 0.04$ )/( $0.34\pm 0.05$ )/( $0.41\pm 0.05$ )] ( $P<0.05$ ). Silencing LINC01116 could inhibit the protein expression of Cyclin D1 [( $0.68\pm 0.06$ ) vs. ( $0.31\pm 0.04$ )] and MMP-2 [( $0.74\pm 0.08$ ) vs. ( $0.34\pm 0.05$ )] in SiHa cells, and inhibition of cell proliferation [( $100.98\pm 7.89$ )% vs. ( $67.26\pm 6.14$ )%], clone formation ability [( $180.31\pm 11.34$ ) vs. ( $53.56\pm 6.18$ )], migration [( $234.67\pm 15.31$ ) vs. ( $98.46\pm 7.46$ )], and invasion [( $134.83\pm 9.12$ ) vs. ( $62.44\pm 5.34$ )]. LINC01116 targeted and negatively regulates the expression of miR-744-5p. Overexpression of miR-744-5p could inhibit the proliferation of cervical cancer SiHa cells [( $101.64\pm 4.89$ )% vs. ( $62.34\pm 5.73$ )%], clone formation ability [( $179.24\pm 12.34$ ) vs. ( $47.67\pm 5.18$ )], migration [( $241.06\pm 16.64$ ) vs. ( $84.52\pm 7.57$ )], and invasion [( $127.92\pm 8.16$ ) vs. ( $65.24\pm 7.36$ )]. Inhibition of miR-744-5p reverse