Long noncoding RNA H19 is a critical oncogenic driver and contributes to epithelial-mesenchymal transition in papillary thyroid carcinoma

Wei-Quan Liang,1,* De Zeng,2,* Chun-Fa Chen,1 Shu-Ming Sun,1 Xiao-Feng Lu,1 Chun-yan Peng,3 Hao-Yu Lin1 1Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taihe Hospital of Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei 442008, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Growing evidence has indicated that the long noncoding RNA H19 (lncRNA H19), frequently deregulated in almost all tumor types tested, acted as a pivotal contributor to both cancer initiation and progression. However, the role of lncRNA H19 in human papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains controversial. The aim of the study was to investigate the expression and potential function of lncRNA H19 in human PTC.Patients and methods: The lncRNA H19 level was determined by quantitative real-time (RT)-PCR analyses in 58 PTC tissue samples and their paired paracancerous tissue samples. RNA interference, RT-PCR analysis, and Western blot assay were used to determine the impact of lncRNA H19 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in human PTC cells. The migratory and invasive capacities of PTC cells were determined by wound-healing and transwell migration and invasion assays.Results: lncRNA H19 expression was 2.417-fold higher in PTC tissues than their paired paracancerous tissue (95% CI: 1.898–2.935, P