Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a tumor type characterized by high patient morbidity and mortality. It has been reported that long non‑coding (lncRNA) LUNAR1 (LUNAR1) participates in the regulation of tumor progression, such as diffuse large B‑cell lymphoma. However, its role and underlying mechanisms in CRC progression have not been elucidated. The present study was designed to investigate the underlying mechanisms by which LUNAR1 regulates CRC progression. RT‑qPCR and Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that LUNAR1 was highly expressed and was negatively associated with the overall survival of CRC patients. Moreover, CCK‑8, clone formation, wound‑healing migration, Transwell chamber and FACs assay analyses showed that LUNAR1 knockdown inhibited CRC cell proliferation, migration and invasion, while accelerating cell apoptosis. Additionally, LUNAR1 was found to function as a sponge of miR‑495‑3p, which was predicted by TargetScan and confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, functional studies indicated that miR‑495‑3p overexpression inhibited CRC cell proliferation, migration and invasion, while accelerating cell apoptosis. In addition, bioinformatics and luciferase reporter assays showed that miR‑495‑3p was found to negatively target Myc binding protein (MYCBP), and functional research showed that LUNAR1 accelerated CRC progression via the miR‑495‑3p/MYCBP axis. In conclusion, LUNAR1 accelerates CRC progression via the miR‑495‑3p/MYCBP axis, indicating that LUNAR1 may serve as a prognostic biomarker for CRC patients.
Keywords: LncRNA LUNAR1; miR-495-3p; MYCBP; colorectal cancer.