Long noncoding RNA LINC00978 promotes cell proliferation and invasion in non‑small cell lung cancer by inhibiting miR‑6754‑5p

Long noncoding RNA LINC00978 has been reported to regulate the progression of several human types of cancer, including gastric and breast cancer. However, knowledge on LINC00978 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is limited. In the present study, it was demonstrated that LINC00978 expression was significantly upregulated in NSCLC tissues compared with the adjacent normal tissues. Furthermore, LINC00978 expression was positively correlated with the tumor, node and metastasis stage, and lymph node metastasis in NSCLC patients. Additionally, LINC00978 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells while promoting cell apoptosis. In terms of the underlying mechanism, it was demonstrated that LINC00978 served as a competing endogenous RNA sponge for microRNA (miR)-6754-5p, which was downregulated in NSCLC tissues. The present study demonstrated that there was a negative correlation between LINC00978 and miR-6754-5p expression levels in NSCLC tissues. Additionally, it was demonstrated that inhibition of miR-6754-5p reversed the effects of LINC00978 knockdown on NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis. In conclusion, results of the present study demonstrated that LINC00978 exerts an oncogenic role in NSCLC by inhibiting miR-6754-5p expression.