LncRNA EGFR-AS1 Upregulates ROCK1 by Sponging miR-145 to Promote Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Invasion and Migration.

Background: EGFR-AS1 has been characterized as an oncogenic lncRNA in many types of cancers, while its roles in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are unknown. Results: Their data showed that EGFR-AS1 and ROCK1 were upregulated in ESCC and positively correlated. Survival analysis showed that high EGFR-AS1 and ROCK1 expression levels predicted poor survival. In ESCC cells, EGFR-AS1 overexpression led to upregulated ROCK1, while miR-145 overexpression led to downregulated ROCK1 and reduced effects of EGFR-AS1 overexpression. Bioinformatics analysis showed that miR-145 may bind EGFR-AS1, while overexpression of EGFR-AS1 and miR-145 did not significantly affect each other. In esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells, EGFR-AS1 and ROCK1 overexpression mediated the increased rates of ECSS cell invasion and migration. Overexpression of miR-145 played an opposite role and attenuated the effects of EGFR-AS1 overexpression. Conclusion: Therefore, EGFR-AS1 may upregulate ROCK1 by sponging miR-145 to promote ESCC cell invasion and migration.