lncRNA LEF1-AS1 Acts as a Novel Biomarker and Promotes Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Progression and Metastasis by Targeting the miR-221-5p/GJA1 Axis

Figure 6

LEF1-AS1 enhances the proliferation and metastasis abilities of FaDu cells via the miR-221-5p/GJA1 axis. (a) The expression level of GJA1 in HNSCC tumor tissues () and normal tissues (n =44) from the TCGA database. (b) Comparison of the expression of GJA1 between tumor () and matched normal tissues () from the TCGA database. (c) Kaplan–Meier curves revealed overall survival of HNSCC patients with high or low levels of GJA1 in TCGA. (d, e) mRNA (d) or protein (e) levels of GJA1 in LEF1-AS1 overexpressed or silenced FaDu cells. (f) CCK8 results indicated that the miR-221-5p overexpression reversed LEF1-AS1-induced promotion of cell proliferation. (g) Western blot results revealed that the miR-221-5p overexpression abolished LEF1-AS1-induced aggravation of EMT as well as the increased GJA1 expression. (h) In transwell assays, the miR-221-5p overexpression reversed LEF1-AS1-induced aggravation of FaDu cell migration and invasion. Data are presented as . .

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