AUTHOR=Wu Huazhang , Qiao Fengchang , Zhao Yunli , Wu Shouwei , Hu Minjie , Wu Tao , Huang Fuxin , Chen Wenjing , Sun Dengzhong , Liu Mulin , Zhao Jinsong 

TITLE=Downregulation of Long Non-coding RNA FALEC Inhibits Gastric Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion Through Impairing ECM1 Expression by Exerting Its Enhancer-Like Function

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2019.00255

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2019.00255

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=<p>Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play important roles in many human diseases. However, their functions and mechanisms in tumorigenesis and development remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that focally amplified lncRNA in epithelial cancer (FALEC) was upregulated and significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage in gastric cancer (GC). Further experiments revealed that FALEC knockdown significantly inhibited GC cells migration and invasion <italic>in vitro.</italic> Mechanistic investigations demonstrated that small interfering RNA-induced silencing of FALEC decreased expression of the nearby gene extracellular matrix protein 1 (<italic>ECM1</italic>) in <italic>cis.</italic> Additionally, <italic>ECM1</italic> and <italic>FALEC</italic> expression were positively correlated, and high levels of ECM1 predicted shorter survival time in GC patients. Our results suggest that the downregulation of <italic>FALEC</italic> significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of GC cells through impairing <italic>ECM1</italic> expression by exerting an enhancer-like function. Our work provides valuable information and a novel promising target for developing new therapeutic strategies in GC.</p>