Downregulation of the long non-coding RNA XLOC_010588 inhibits the invasion and migration of colorectal cancer

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as major players in many biological and pathological processes; however, investigation into the function of lncRNAs in the development and progression of cancer is in its infancy. Therefore, clarification of the mechanism by which cancer-related lncRNAs function is of critical importance in research on tumorigenesis. It has been demonstrated that the lncRNA XLOC_010588 is expressed at a low level in cervical cancer, and that this has significant impact on the proliferation of cervical cancer cells. However, the expression pattern and functional roles of XLOC_010588 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear. In the present study, it was demonstrated that the expression of XLOC_010588 was significantly higher in CRC tissues when compared with that in adjacent normal tissues, and that XLOC_010588 was closely associated with metastasis and poor prognosis, thus indicating that XLOC_010588 may function as an oncogene. Additionally, downregulation of XLOC_010588 expression markedly inhibited the invasion and migration of CRC cells. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that XLOC_010588 may regulate the progression of CRC via the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. Notably, downregulation of XLOC_010588 inhibited the invasion and migration of CRC cells by regulating genes associated with EMT. Our findings revealed that XLOC_010588 may be considered as a novel potential diagnostic biomarker in CRC.