Kockdown of OIP5-AS1 expression inhibits proliferation, metastasis and EMT progress in hepatoblastoma cells through up-regulating miR-186a-5p and down-regulating ZEB1

Long non-coding RNA OIP5-AS1 has been studied in human diseases, including several kinds of cancers. It was not studied or reported in hepatoblastoma, so we chose it to do our research in hepatoblastoma. We thought OIP5-AS1 was oncogenic in hepatoblastoma for the high expression of it in hepatoblastoma tissues and cells. OIP5-AS1 knockdown was carried out in cancer cells. Unsurprisingly, this action was verified to be able to inhibit cell proliferation, metastasis and EMT progress in hepatoblastoma. We then measured the low expression level of miR-186a-5p and the high expression level of ZEB1 in hepatoblastoma tissues and cells. The relevance among them was analyzed by using correlation analysis. In order to prove the ceRNA pattern in this study, nuclear separation experiment, RIP assay and dual luciferase assays were all put into use. We discovered OIP5-AS1 is located in nucleus of cancerous cells. It could target to miR-186a-5p and up-regulate the target gene of miR-186a-5p (ZEB1). Finally, rescue assay was utilized and proved the effect of OIP5-AS1-miR-186a-5p-ZEB1 axis on hepatoblastoma cell activities. Based on all above findings, we came into a conclusion that OIP5-AS1 is a ceRNA in Hepatoblastoma cells through modulating miR-186a-5p/ZEB1.