Downregulation of long non-coding RNA UCA1 enhances the radiosensitivity and inhibits migration via suppression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colorectal cancer cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and common cause of cancer-related deaths. Radiotherapy has become a routine treatment for CRC. However, radioresistance affects therapeutic efficacy. Long non-coding RNA urothelial carcinoma associated 1 (UCA1) has been demonstrated to be overexpressed in several tumors and predicts a poor prognosis. In the present study, we revealed that lncRNA-UCA1 was overexpressed in colorectal cancer tissue and colon cancer cells when compared to normal tissue and cells. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that the expression of UCA1 was significantly higher in CRC tissues after chemoradiotherapy. Downregulation of UCA1 enhanced the radiosensitivity of CCL244 cells via inhibition of the colony formation, proliferation and promotion of radiation-induced apoptosis and G2/M arrest. Moreover, downregulation of UCA1 suppressed the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in CCL244 cells.