Knockdown of Long Noncoding RNA CCAT2 Inhibits Cellular Proliferation, Invasion, and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Glioma Cells

Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) colon cancer-associated transcript 2 (CCAT2) has been demonstrated to play an important role in diverse tumorigenesis. However, the biological function of lncRNAs in glioma is still unknown. In this study, we found that lncRNA CCAT2 was overexpressed in glioma tissues and cell lines and associated with tumor grade and size. Furthermore, patients with high levels of lncRNA CCAT2 had poorer survival than those with lower levels of lncRNA CCAT2. Knocking down lncRNA CCAT2 expression significantly suppressed the glioma cell growth, migration, and invasion, as well as induced early apoptosis of glioma cells in vitro. Moreover, lncRNA CCAT2 regulated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated gene expression. In conclusion, lncRNA CCAT2 plays an important role in glioma tumorigenesis and progression and may act as a potential biomarker for therapeutic strategy and prognostic prediction.