LncRNAs UC.145 and PRKG1-AS1 Determine the Functional Output of DKK1 in Regulating the Wnt Signaling Pathway in Gastric Cancer

This study investigated the role of ultraconserved region UC.145 in regulating DKK1 expression and its impact on the Wnt signaling pathway in gastric cancer. It was found that UC.145 binds to EZH2, a histone methyltransferase, leading to DKK1 methylation and involvement in the Wnt signaling pathway. Additionally, UC.145 interacts with another long non-coding RNA, PRKG1-AS1, to enhance Wnt signaling. The regulation of UC.145, PRKG1-AS1, and DKK1 was linked to patient survival outcomes. Inactivation of UC.145 resulted in increased apoptosis and reduced growth, migration, invasion, and colony formation in gastric cancer cells. These findings suggested that UC.145 could serve as a novel predictive biomarker for gastric cancer.