Lnc NR2F1-AS1 Promotes Breast Cancer Metastasis by Targeting the MiR-25-3p/ZEB2 Axis

Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) substantially affect tumor metastasis and are aberrantly expressed in various cancers.However, its role in breast cancer (BC) remains unclear.Methods: A microarray assay of differentially expressed lncRNAs in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and non-EMT cells was performed.The prognostic value of lnc NR2F1-AS1 expression in patients with BC was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas database.Lnc NR2F1-AS1 expression levels in different BC cell lines were assessed using quantitative real-time PCR.The role of lnc NR2F1-AS1 in BC cell metastasis was investigated in vitro and in vivo.Dual luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation were performed to investigate the relationship between lnc NR2F1-AS1, miR-25-3p, and ZEB2.Results: High levels of lnc NR2F1-AS1 were observed in BC cells undergoing EMT and were closely correlated with adverse prognosis in patients with BC.Lnc NR2F1-AS1 knockdown significantly inhibited BC cell migration, invasiveness in vitro, and metastasis in vivo.Mechanistically, lnc NR2F1-AS1 competitively binds to miR-25-3p to impede ZEB2 degradation, a positive EMT transcription factor in BC.Conclusions: Our study revealed a novel lnc NR2F1-AS1/miR-25-3p/ZEB2 axis in BC metastasis and that lnc NR2F1-AS1 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for BC metastasis.