GRASLND regulates melanoma cell progression by targeting the miR-218-5p/STAM2 axis

Increasing evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important regulatory roles in biological processes and are dysregulated in numerous tumors. The lncRNA GRASLND functions as an oncogene in many cancers, but its role in skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) requires further investigation. SiRNA transfection, wound − healing and transwell assays were performed to evaluate the effect of GRASLND on cellular function. The present study demonstrated that GRASLND expression is increased in SKCM tissues and cell lines. The high expression of GRASLND was correlated with poor prognosis and immunotherapy outcomes. Knockdown of GRASLND significantly inhibited cell migration and invasion. In addition, we found that miR-218-5p directly binds to its binding site on GRASLND, and GRASLND and miR-218-5p demonstrate mutual inhibition. Furthermore, the miR-218-5p inhibitor partially eliminated the knockdown of GRASLND and inhibited its expression. We also demonstrated that GRASLND acts as a miR-218-5p sponge that positively regulates STAM2 expression in SKCM cells. In summary, these data suggest that GRASLND functions by regulating miR-218-5p/STAM2 expression, suggesting an important role for the lncRNA‒miRNA–mRNA functional network and a new potential therapeutic target for SKCM.