The long noncoding RNA LINC00473, a target of microRNA 34a, promotes tumorigenesis by inhibiting ILF2 degradation in cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the most common gynecological malignancies in women worldwide. The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LINC00473 is increased in some human cancer tissues and it plays important roles in tumorigenesis. However, neither the expression pattern nor the biological functions of LINC00473 have been elucidated in cervical cancer so far. In the present study, gain- and loss-of-function assays showed that LINC00473 promoted cell proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis in cervical cancer cells in vitro. Moreover, we found that LINC00473 enhanced the growth of cervical cancer cells in vivo. Mechanistic investigation showed that LINC00473 directly interacted with ILF2 and suppressed its degradation. Finally, we demonstrated that miR-34a reduced the stability of LINC00473. These findings may have important implications for developing novel therapeutic strategies for cervical cancer.