BACKGROUND: The functionality of LINK-A lncRNA as an oncogenic lncRNA has only been characterized in triple-negative breast cancer. The present study investigated the possible involvement of LINK-A in ovarian carcinoma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We enrolled 76 patients with ovarian carcinoma. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to analyze LINK-A expression in ovarian biopsies. Effects of LINK-A overexpression on HIF1α and cancer cell migration and invasion were assessed.

RESULTS: We found that LINK-A was significantly higher in ovarian carcinoma patients than in healthy controls in ovarian biopsies and in serum. LINK-A expression effectively distinguished patients with metastatic ovarian carcinoma from healthy controls. LINK-A overexpression promoted cancer cell migration and invasion, and also upregulated the expression of HIF1α.

CONCLUSIONS: LINK-A lncRNA may be involved in the metastasis of ovarian carcinoma by upregulating HIF1α.

Keywords: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Ovarian Neoplasms, Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit, transcriptional activation