To explore the expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HOX antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) in esophageal cancer and its influence on celluar biology.

Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) of lncRNA HOTAIR expression in esophageal cancer tissue and adjacent normal tissue, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) experiment to detect the effect of lncRNA HOTAIR on esophageal cancer cells proliferation ability, Transwell assay was used to detect the effect of lncRNA HOTAIR on the invasion of esophageal cancer cells, flow cytometry was used to detect the effect of lncRNA HOTAIR on the apoptosis of esophageal cancer cells. In vivo experiments, we used nude mice to examine the effect of lncRNA HOTAIR on the tumorigenesis of esophageal cancer cell. Dual luciferase assay validated the interaction between lncRNA HOTAIR and microRNA (miRNA, miR)-101.

The expression of lncRNA HOTAIR in esophageal cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent normal tissues [(1.95±0.12) vs. (1.25±0.13), P=0.031]. LncRNA HOTAIR could promote the proliferation and invasion of esophageal cancer cells [(118.4±7.5) vs. (52.0±6.2), P=0.021], and inhibit the apoptosis of esophageal cancer cells [(126.4±13.4) vs. (75.6±8.7), P=0.008]. Down-regulation of lncRNA HOTAIR attenuated the proliferation of cells in nude mice volume [(0.5±0.1) cm³ vs. (2.0±0.3) cm^3,P=0.016], weight [(0.6±0.2) g vs. (1.5±0.2) g, P=0.022]. miR-101 could directly bind to the lncRNA HOTAIR and affect luciferase activity.

LncRNA HOTAIR promotes the malignant biological behavior of esophageal cancer cells by regulating the expression of miR-101.

Long non-coding RNA HOX antisense intergenic RNA; Esophageal cancer; Proliferation; Invasion; Apoptosis; MicroRNA-101