We aimed to determine the roles and possible mechanism of long non-coding RNA SDPR-AS in the processes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The expressions of SDPR-AS and SDPR in different subtypes of lung cancer (AC, SCC, LCC and SCLC) tissues and cells were determined. Three NSCLC cells were infused with pcDNA-SDPR-AS, pcDNA3.1, sh-SDPR-AS, sh-NC, si-SDPR and si-NC. The effects of SDPR-AS dysregulation on cell behaviors (including cell viability, colony forming ability, migration, invasion and apoptosis) were assessed. Moreover, the combined effects of SDPR-AS overexpression and SDPR-AS knockdown on H522 cell behaviors and the levels of p-p38 and p-ERK were investigated. SDPR-AS was lowly expressed in NSCLC tissues and cells, but had no changes in SCLC tissues and cells. Down-regulation of SDPR-AS enhanced the proliferation, migration and invasion and inhibited apoptosis of NSCLC cells (H522, H661 and H520). Overexpression of SDPR-AS exhibited opposite effects. Moreover, SDPR was positively regulated by SDPR-AS and effects of SDPR-AS on the cell biological processes of NSCLC cells were through regulation of SDPR. Besides, the levels of p-p38 and p-ERK were significantly decreased after SDPR-AS overexpression, which were dramatically changeover by SDPR knockdownsimultaneously. Our findings indicate that SDPR-AS was lowly expressed in NSCLC cells and down-regulation of SDPR-AS may promote the malignant behaviors of NSCLC cells possible through regulating SDPR expression and involving in p38 MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. SDPR-AS may serve as a prospective target for NSCLC diagnosis and therapy.
Keywords: Non-small cell lung cancer; SDPR; long non-coding RNA SDPR-AS; p38 MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.