LncRNA Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Migration and Invasion Via Targeting the miR-137/AKT2 Axis.

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of on the migration and invasion of hepatoma cells. The expressions of , miR-137, and were detected in hepatoma tissues and cells by performing quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The correlations among , miR-137, and were predicted by bioinformatics analysis and confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay, and Pearson test was performed to analyze their relevance. The effects of , miR-137, and on viability, migration, and invasion of transfected hepatoma cells were detected by CCK-8, wound scratch, and Transwell. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related protein levels were determined by Western blot and qRT-PCR. was highly expressed in hepatoma tissues and cells. Silencing expression inhibited the viability, migration, and invasion of hepatoma cells. targeted miR-137 and the two was negatively correlated, and silencing TUG1 expression inhibited the effects of low-expressed miR-137 on promoting proliferation, migration, and invasion of hepatoma cells. was predicted to be the target gene for miR-137, and the two were negatively correlated. Moreover, inhibiting miR-137 expression promoted the expression of , , and N-cadherin and inhibited E-cadherin expression, while silencing expression reversed the effects of low-expressed miR-137 on EMT-related protein levels. LncRNA promotes hepatocellular carcinoma migration and invasion through targeting the miR-137/AKT2 axis.