RETRACTED: Long noncoding RNA UFC1 is activated by E2F1 and exerts oncogenic properties by functioning as a ceRNA of FOXP3

Abstract

Cervical cancer is one of the most common gynecologic cancers around the world. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are considered to be important regulators of some biological processes. Recently, it has been reported that linc‐UFC1 is a putative oncogene in some cancers. However, the functional roles of linc‐UFC1 have not been investigated in cervical cancer. Here, it was demonstrated that linc‐UFC1 expression was significantly increased in cervical cancer tissues, and its overexpression was associated with the poor survival of patients with cervical cancer. Loss‐of‐function assays indicated that linc‐UFC1 exerted as an oncogene because it promoted the growth and metastasis of cervical cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic investigations revealed that linc‐UFC1 upregulated FOXP3 expression through competitively binding miR‐34a. Finally, luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays provided evidence that E2F1 could directly bind to the linc‐UFC1 promoter region and enhance its transcription. Taken together, our findings indicate that the linc‐UFC1 expression signature may serve as a novel biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of cervical cancer, and it is also highlighted that the E2F1‐linc‐UFC1/miR‐34a/FOXP3 axis may be a potentially therapeutic target of cervical cancer.

LncRNA SNHG3 is activated by E2F1 and promotes proliferation and migration of non‐small‐cell lung cancer cells through activating TGF‐β pathway and IL‐6/JAK2/STAT3 pathway

“…E2F1 is the most widely studied member of the E2F family. It is specifically overexpressed and can function as a transcription factor to regulate the expression of lncRNA in many cancers, such as gastric cancer, cervical cancer, and pituitary adenomas (Fu, Zhang, & Cui, 2018;Qi et al, 2018;Xi, Feng, Zeng, & Huang, 2018).…”

TMPO‐AS1 promotes cervical cancer progression by upregulating RAB14 via sponging miR‐577

“…The lncRNA XLOC_006390 enhances tumorigenesis and metastasis in CC as a ceRNA against miR‐331‐3p, as well as miR‐338‐3p . The lncRNA UFC1 functions as a ceRNA of FOXP3 by binding with miR‐34a competitively in CC . Importantly, TMPO‐AS1 was found to serve as a ceRNA for miRNA‐mRNA in lung adenocarcinoma .…”

Molecular networks of FOXP family: dual biologic functions, interplay with other molecules and clinical implications in cancer progression

“…Of note, miR-338-3p [30], miR-491–5p [29] and miR-138 [93, 204] were downregulated in HCC, osteosarcoma and non-small lung cancer cells, targeting FOXP4. In addition, lncRNA MALAT1 [205] and SNHG12 [206] promoted proliferation of multiple myeloma and glioma targeting FOXP1, while lncRNA UFC1 [207] and 7SL [208] enhanced proliferation of cervical cancer and osteosarcoma, targeting FOXP3 and FOXP4, respectively. Notably, circular RNA SHKBP1 was upregulated in malignant glioma targeting FOXP1 or FOXP2 [190], while circular RNA ZNF609 [209] and MYO9B [28] were upregulated in renal cancer and breast cancer, respectively, targeting FOXP4.…”