Long noncoding RNA GIHCG enhanced tongue squamous cell carcinoma progression through regulating miR-429.

Long noncoding RNAs play essential roles in cancer development and progression. Here, we tried to investigate the role of GIHCG in the progression and metastasis of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC). In our study, we showed that that the expression level of GIHCG was upregulated in TSCC tissues and cell lines. In addition, we indicated that high GIHCG expression was positively associated with poor overall survival. Moreover, ectopic expression of GIHCG enhanced TSCC cell cycle, proliferation, and migration. Elevated expression of GIHCG inhibited the miR-429 expression in TSCC cells. We demonstrated that the expression level of miR-429 was lower in TSCC tissues and cell lines. Low miR-429 expression was positively associated with poor overall survival. We then determined the correlation between miR-429 and GIHCG expression levels. A statistically significantly inverse correlation was observed between miR-429 and GIHCG expression levels in TSCC tissues. In addition, overexpression of miR-429 suppressed the TSCC cell cycle, proliferation, and migration. Elevated expression of GIHCG promoted TSCC cell cycle, proliferation, and migration through regulating miR-429 expression. These results suggested that GIHCG increased TSCC progression through negative modulation of miR-429. Our results suggested that GIHCG/miR-429 might play a vital role in TSCC progression.