Enhanced expression of long non-coding RNA NEAT1 is associated with the progression of gastric adenocarcinomas

Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as new players in the cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the abnormalities of NEAT1 (nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1, also known as MEN epsilon/beta) in gastric adenocarcinomas (GACs). Methods: One hundred thirty-one GAC tissues and matched adjacent normal tissues (ANTs) were collected from patients who undergone surgery. Differences in of NEAT1 expression were examined via quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR). WST-1 assay and transwell assay were carried out in vitro to investigate the proliferation and migration of GAC cells with alteration in NEAT1 long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression. Results: The expression levels of lncRNA NEAT1 were significantly elevated in GAC tissues (P < 0.001) compared with ANTs. There was also a statistical difference in NEAT1 expression between early and advanced GACs (P = 0.0111). GACs with lymph node metastasis (LNM) expressed higher levels of NEAT1 lncRNA compared with those without LNM (P = 0.004). In the in vitro experiments, the proliferation but not migration of GAC cells was attenuated after NEAT1 knockdown by RNA interference. Conclusions: Expression of NEAT1 lncRNA was enhanced in GACs; and NEAT1 may influence GAC progression by promoting tumor growth.