LINC00847 drives pancreatic cancer progression by targeting the miR-455-3p/HDAC4 axis.

[INTRODUCTION] Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a common malignant tumor of the digestive system, posing a serious threat to the life of patients. This study aims to investigate the role of LINC00847 and the LINC00847/miR-455-3p/HDAC4 mechanism in PC progression.

[MATERIAL AND METHODS] The RNA levels of LINC00847, miR-455-3p and HDAC4 were determined by RT-qPCR. HDAC4 protein level was assessed by western blotting. Colony formation and CCK-8 assays were employed to test the proliferation of PC cells. Transwell and scratch assays were conducted to evaluate the cell invasive and migratory abilities, respectively. The effect of LINC00847 silencing on PC cells was verified using a mouse xenograft model. The correlation among LINC00847, miR-455-3p and HDAC4 was ascertained by dual-luciferase reporter (DLR) assay and Pearson's correlation analysis.

[RESULTS] The result showed that LINC00847 mainly localized in the cytoplasm was upregulated in PC cells and tissues. Downregulating LINC00847 hindered migration, proliferation, and invasion of PC cells . Moreover, it also suppressed tumor growth in an xenograft model. LINC00847 was found to directly target miR-455-3p. miR-455-3p overexpression inhibited cell proliferation and invasion. In addition, HDAC4 was confirmed to be a target gene of miR-455-3p, and HDAC4 overexpression overturned the impact of LINC00847 knockdown on PC cell progression.

[CONCLUSIONS] Our findings reveal that LINC00847 potentially plays a key role in the carcinogenesis of PC progression. This effect may be mediated via regulating the miR-455-3p/HDAC4 axis. This study provides insights into the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying PC and opens avenues for potential therapeutic interventions.