Long non-coding RNA LINC00052 regulates miR-608/EGFR axis to promote progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract An increasing number of studies have shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are dysregulated in cancers, and participate in cancer initiation and progression. LINC00052 is a newly identified lncRNA involved in tumorigenesis. However, the biological role and function of LINC00052 in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) is still unclear. In this study, we found that LINC00052 was upregulated in HNSCC tumors. High expression of LINC00052 was associated with poor prognosis. Gain and loss of function studies revealed that LINC00052 promoted HNSCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. MiR-608 was predicted as an interacting microRNA of LINC00052 via bioinformatics analysis and was further validated through luciferase reporter assay and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation assay. Moreover, we demonstrated that LINC00052 sponged miR-608 to regulate the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), thereby promoting HNSCC progression in vitro and in vivo. Results from the current study provide evidences that LINC00052 acts as an oncogene in HNSCCs, and suggest LINC00052 is a potential therapeutic target for HNSCC treatment.