LINC00265 promotes the viability, proliferation, and migration of bladder cancer cells via the miR-4677-3p/FGF6 axis.

Background: Bladder cancer (BCa) is a common genitourinary malignancy with higher incidence in males. Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 265 (LINC00265) is identified as an oncogene in many malignancies, while its role in BCa development remains unknown.

Purpose: To explore the functions and mechanism of LINC00265 in BCa.

Research Design: Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to examine LINC00265 expression in BCa cells. Cell counting kit-8 assays, colony formation assays, TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling assays, and Transwell assays were conducted to examine BCa cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. Luciferase reporter assays and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were carried out to explore the binding capacity between miR-4677-3p and messenger RNA fibroblast growth factor 6 (FGF6) (or LINC00265). Xenograft tumor model was established to explore the role of LINC00265 .

Results: LINC00265 was highly expressed in BCa cells. LINC00265 knockdown inhibited xenograft tumor growth and BCa cell viability, proliferation and migration while enhancing cell apoptosis. Moreover, LINC00265 interacted with miR-4677-3p to upregulate the expression of FGF6. FGF6 overexpression reversed the suppressive effect of LINC00265 knockdown on malignant phenotypes of BCa cells.

Conclusions: LINC00265 promotes the viability, proliferation, and migration of BCa cells by binding with miR-4677-3p to upregulate FGF6 expression.