Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect of LINC01138 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of SW620 colorectal cancer cells and its mechanism. Methods RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression levels of LINC01138 and miR-559 in the human normal colonic mucosal cells (FHC) and the colorectal cancer cells (SW620). SW620 cells cultured in vitro were randomly divided into 6 groups: si-NC, si-LINC01138, si-LINC01138 + si-miR-559, mimic NC, miR-559 mimic and LINC01138 mimic + miR-559 mimic. CCK-8 assay, wound-healing assay, and transwellassay were performed to evaluate cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, respectively. The interaction between LINC01138 and miR-559 was validated using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results The expression level of LINC01138 was upregulated, while the expression level of miR-559 was downregulated in the SW620 cells when compared to those in the FHC. Inhibition of LINC01138 or upregulation of miR-559 attenuated the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of SW620 cells. Conclusion This study confirms the interaction between LINC01138 and miR-559 in colorectal cancer cells and reveals that LINC01138 regulates the proliferation, migration,and invasion of colorectal cancer cells through targeting miR-559. These findings provide new targetsand strategies for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Key words: colorectal cancer, LINC01138, miR-559, cell proliferation, invasion