Upregulation of long noncoding RNA TUG1 contributes to the development of laryngocarcinoma by targeting miR-145-5p/ROCK1 axis.

Laryngocarcinoma is the most common head and neck cancer and has a high incidence and mortality, causing about 83 000 deaths per year worldwide. Our research aimed to investigate the possible role of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) taurine upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) in laryngocarcinoma development. The messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of TUG1 in tumor tissues and control (plasma) samples of laryngocarcinoma patients as well as in laryngocarcinoma cells were detected. The influences of TUG1 suppression on cell biological processes (viability, apoptosis, migration, and invasion) and cytoskeleton rearrangement in laryngocarcinoma cells were tested. Moreover, we investigated the regulatory interaction between TUG1 and miR-145-5p, and identified the target gene of miR-145-5p. The association between TUG1 and the protein expressions of RhoA/rho associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase (ROCK)/matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) pathway-associated factors were detected. TUG1 was found to be highly expressed in tumor tissues and plasma samples of laryngocarcinoma patients as well as in laryngocarcinoma cells. Suppression of TUG1 decreased laryngocarcinoma cell viability, increased apoptosis, and suppression migration, invasion, and cytoskeleton rearrangement. Moreover, TUG1 negatively regulated miR-145-5p. TUG1 regulated tumor growth (viability and apoptosis) and metastasis through miR-145-5p. Furthermore, ROCK1 was targeted by miR-145-5p, and miR-145-5p/ROCK1 partner was involved in the process of tumor growth and metastasis. Finally, we found that TUG1 functioned on laryngocarcinoma by activating RhoA/ROCK/MMPs pathway. Our study reveals that lncRNA TUG1 is upregulated in laryngocarcinoma and may be involved in the process of laryngocarcinoma through miR-145-5p downregulation and activating the RhoA/ROCK/MMPs signals.