lncRNA HAND2‑AS1 mediates the downregulation of ROCK2 in hepatocellular carcinoma and inhibits cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion.

Long noncoding (lnc)RNA HAND2‑AS1 inhibits the development of several human malignancies. The role of HAND2‑AS1 was investigated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It was found that levels of HAND2‑AS1 in serum were significantly lower, while serum levels of Rho‑associated protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) in HCC patients were significantly increased compared with hepatitis B (HB) patients and healthy controls. Decreased HAND2‑AS1 levels distinguished HCC patients but not HB patients from healthy controls. A significant negative correlation between HAND2‑AS1 and ROCK2 was found in HCC patients but not in HB patients or healthy controls. HAND2‑AS1 overexpression inhibited, while ROCK2 overexpression promoted HCC cell migration, proliferation and invasion. HAND2‑AS1 overexpression led to downregulated ROCK2 expression. ROCK2 overexpression did not significantly affect ROCK2 expression but attenuated the inhibitory effects of HAND2‑AS1 overexpression. It was therefore concluded that HAND2‑AS1 might mediate the downregulation of ROCK2 in HCC to inhibit cancer cell migration, proliferation and invasion.

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