Long Noncoding RNA PVT1 Promotes EMT and Cell Proliferation and Migration Through Downregulating p21 in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND AND AIM Long noncoding RNA-plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 is identified to be highly expressed and exhibits oncogenic activity in a variety of human malignancies, including pancreatic cancer. However, little is known about the overall biological role and mechanism of plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 in pancreatic cancer so far. In this study, we investigated the effect of plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and migration as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition. METHODS Pancreatic cancer tissue specimens and cell line were used in this study, with normal tissue and cell line acting as control. RESULTS It showed that plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 expression was significantly upregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues or cell line compared to normal groups. Plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 downregulation significantly inhibited zinc finger E-box-binding protein 1/Snail expression but promoted p21 expression, and it also inhibited the cell proliferation and migration. Additionally, p21 downregulation enhanced, and p21 overexpression repressed, zinc finger E-box-binding protein 1/Snail expression and cells proliferation in PANC-1 cells. However, p21 downregulation reversed the effect of plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 downregulation on zinc finger E-box-binding protein 1/Snail expression and cell proliferation and migration. CONCLUSION Plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cell proliferation and migration through downregulating p21 in pancreatic cancer cells.