Long non-coding RNA activated by transforming growth factor-β promotes proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells by regulating the miR-144/ITGA6 axis

The present study was designed to investigate the molecular mechanism and biological roles of long non-coding RNA activated by transforming growth factor-beta (lncRNA ATB) in the progression of cervical cancer. The expression levels of lncRNA ATB, miR-144 and integrin a6 (ITGA6) were detected in human cervical cancer cell lines using quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting. Cell viability was quantified by MTT assay at 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72 h after transfection, and cell invasion was determined by the Transwell migration assay. The association among lncRNA ATB, miR-144 and ITGA6 was disclosed by a dual-luciferase reporter assay. We found that lncRNA ATB was highly expressed in human cervical cancer cell lines. Further investigation indicated that lncRNA ATB functioned as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-144 to promote cervical cancer cell proliferation and invasion. We demonstrated that ITGA6 was a direct target of miR-144, and lncRNA ATB facilitated the proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells via the miR-144/ITGA5 axis. In conclusion, the lncRNA ATB/miR-144/ITGA6 axis might be a promising therapeutic target for cervical cancer.