LncRNA B4GALT1-AS1 recruits HuR to promote osteosarcoma cells stemness and migration via enhancing YAP transcriptional activity

Objectives This study aims to reveal the roles and related mechanisms of LncRNA B4GALT1-AS1 in osteosarcoma (OS) cells stemness and migration. Materials and methods Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression of several LncRNAs in OS tissues and normal adjacent tissues and in OS mammospheres and cells. Cell viability, transwell migration, tumour spheres formation and in vivo tumour formation assays were used to examine the effects of LncRNA B4GALT1-AS1 on OS progression. In addition, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and Luciferase reporter assays were performed to determine the binding site of RNA-binding protein HuR on B4GALT1-AS1 and transcriptional factor YAP. Immunofluorescence analysis was used to examine YAP nuclear-cytoplasm translocation. Results LncRNA B4GALT1-AS1 expression was significantly increased in OS tissues and cells spheres. Knockdown of B4GALT1-AS1 inhibited OS cells proliferation, migration, stemness and chemotherapeutic sensitivity. Mechanistically, B4GALT1-AS1 recruited HuR to enhance YAP mRNA stability and thus its transcriptional activity. Conclusions We indicate that lncRNA B4GALT1-AS1 promotes OS cells stemness and migration via recruiting HuR to enhance YAP activity.