LncRNA GAS8-AS1 is a Novel Prognostic and Diagnostic Biomarker for Pancreatic Cancer.

Background: LncRNA GAS8-AS1 inhibits thyroid carcinoma, but its function in other malignancies is unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the involvement of GAS8-AS1 in pancreatic cancer (PC).

Methods: The present study included 68 PC patients (38 males and 30 females, 42-66 years, 52.1 ± 4.5) and 62 healthy volunteers (28 males and 24 females, 43-67 years, 52.3 ± 4.9). Real-time quantitative PCR, transient cell transfection, and in vitro cell migration and invasion assays were applied for the research.

Results: The study showed that plasma GAS8-AS1 was lower in PC patients than in healthy controls. Downregulation of plasma GAS8-AS1 distinguished early-stage PC patients from healthy controls. Patients with low GAS8-AS1 plasma levels showed a significantly lower 5-year overall survival rate. Plasma miR-1179 levels were also significantly lower in PC patients than in healthy controls and were positively correlated with plasma GAS8-AS1 levels in PC patients but not healthy controls. GAS8-AS1 overexpression upregulated miR-1179, and MiR-1179 overexpression increased GAS8-AS1 level. Overexpression of both GAS8-AS1 and miR-1179 inhibited PC cell migration and invasion.

Conclusion: GAS8-AS1 may promote PC by positively interacting with miR-1179.