LncRNA NCK1-AS1 Promotes Malignant Cellular Phenotypes of Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma via miR-137/NCK1 Axis

Increasing evidence demonstrates that many long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated with the development of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). As shown by bioinformatics analysis, lncRNA non-catalytic region of tyrosine kinase adaptor protein 1-antisense 1 (NCK1-AS1) is upregulated in tissues of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The study aimed to explore the role and mechanism of NCK1-AS1 in LSCC. NCK1-AS1 expression in LSCC cells was evaluated by reverse transcription qPCR. The viability, proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis of LSCC cells with indicated transfection were evaluated by CCK-8 assays, Ethynyl deoxyuridine incorporation assays, Transwell assays, wound healing assays, and TUNEL assays, respectively. Subcellular fractionation assays were performed to evaluate the cellular distribution of NCK1-AS1 and NCK1. NCK1 protein level in LSCC cells with indicated transfection was quantified by western blotting. The binding relation between miR-137 and NCK1-AS1 (or NCK1) were determined using RNA immunoprecipitation assays and luciferase reporter assays. NCK1-AS1 was highly expressed in LSCC cell lines. NCK1-AS1 depletion suppressed LSCC cell viability, proliferation, invasion, and migration while enhancing cell apoptosis. NCK1, an adjacent gene of NCK1-AS1, is also highly expressed in LSCC cells and was positively regulated by NCK1-AS1. Moreover, NCK1-AS1 interact with miR-137 to upregulate NCK1 expression. NCK1 was the downstream target of miR-137 and was negatively correlated to miR-137. In addition, overexpressed NCK1 reversed the suppressive impact of NCK1-AS1 depletion on malignant behaviors of LSCC cells. NCK1-AS1 contributes to LSCC cellular behaviors by upregulating NCK1 via interaction with miR-137.