Long non-coding RNA LINC01004 promotes malignant behaviors of pituitary adenoma via miR-323a-3p/136-5p/RCN2 axis.

Pituitary adenoma (PA) is a common intracranial tumor, and its incidence has been on the rise in recent years. Pituitary tumor not only causes intracranial space occupying signs, but also produces endocrine disorders, such as infertility, sexual dysfunction, facial and limb changes. Moreover, it destroys the internal environment stability and even affects the appearance of a person. However, the mechanism of PA is not fully understood. Previous research has confirmed that the expression or role of long non-coding RNA is closely connected with the occurrence of human diseases. In this study, we discovered that long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1004 (LINC01004) was aberrantly up-regulated in PA cells. Functional assays manifested that LINC01004 promoted malignant behaviors of PA cells in vitro and growth of PA in vivo. By using bioinformatics tools and a series of mechanism assays, LINC01004 was identified to sponge miR-323a-3p/miR-136-5p to enhance the expression of RCN2 in PA. In conclusion, the results provided in this study revealed a novel regulatory mechanism of LINC01004 in PA, which might be helpful for the treatment of PA and supply a new thought for further research of PA.