Long non-coding RNA PRRT3-AS1 silencing inhibits prostate cancer cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis and autophagy

New Findings What is the central question of this study? What is the role of lncRNA PRRT3-AS1 in the regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma) gene-mediated mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway in proliferation, apoptosis and autophagy of prostate cancer cells? What is the main finding and its importance? The targeting relation between lncRNA PRRT3-AS1 and PPAR gamma was verified, and it was demonstrated that silencing of lncRNA PRRT3-AS1 can upregulate apoptosis and autophagy yet downregulate proliferation, migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells through the mTOR signalling pathway. Further work is needed to consolidate the therapeutic value of lncRNA PRRT3-AS1 in clinical trials and treatment of prostate cancer. Although long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are correlated with multiple cancers, their molecular mechanisms in prostate cancer (PC) remain inadequately understood. This study investigated the effects of lncRNA PRRT3-AS1 on the progression of prostate cancer (PC) with involvement of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma). Microarray analysis was used to identify the differentially expressed genes and lncRNAs associated with PC. RT-qPCR and western blot analysis were employed to test the expression of lncRNA PRRT3-AS1, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway-, apoptosis- and autophagy-related genes. A scratch test, Transwell assay, CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry and monodansylcadaverine staining were employed to identify the migration, invasion, proliferation activity, cell cycle and apoptosis and autophagy of PC3 cells, respectively. Tumorigenicity assays in nude mice were used to detect the tumorigenic ability. GSE55945 and GSE46602 datasets indicated that lncRNA PRRT3-AS1 was highly expressed in PC. PPAR gamma was predicted as a target gene of lncRNA PRRT3-AS1. Ectopic overexpression of PPAR gamma or lncRNA PRRT3-AS1 silencing led to inhibited cell viability, migration and invasion, and accelerated apoptosis. Furthermore, the delivery of si-PRRT3-AS1 or PPAR gamma vector to PC3 cells resulted in the regression of xenografts in nude mice. Based on the in vitro and in vivo experiments, silencing of lncRNA PRRT3-AS1 was observed to activate the PPAR gamma gene, which in turn could inhibit PC cell proliferation and promote apoptosis and autophagy by blocking the mTOR signalling pathway.