LncRNA HOXA11-AS Exerts Oncogenic Functions by Repressing p21 and miR-124 in Uveal Melanoma

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to play vital roles in various human cancers. The aim of this study was to explore the critical role of lncRNA HOXA11-AS in uveal melanoma (UM) progression. Briefly, we found that HOXA11-AS is overexpressed in UM tissues and cells; HOXA11-AS could regulate UM cell growth, invasion, and apoptosis. Mechanistically, RNA immunoprecipitation demonstrated that HOXA11-AS could simultaneously interact with enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) to suppress its target p21 protein expression. In addition, we demonstrated that HOXA11-AS functioned as a molecular sponge for miR-124, and overexpression of miR-124 attenuated the proliferation and invasion-promoting effect of HOXA11-AS. Collectively, our findings reveal an oncogenic role for HOXA11-AS in UM tumorigenesis.