Long noncoding RNA HAS2-AS1 accelerates non-small cell lung cancer chemotherapy resistance by targeting LSD1/EphB3 pathway.

The essential roles of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) have been identified by emerging literature in the nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the role of lncRNA hyaluronan synthase 2 antisense 1 (HAS2-AS1) in the NSCLC tumorigenesis is not clear. Here, we investigate the role and mechanism of HAS2-AS1 in the NSCLC tumorigenesis. In the NSCLC tissue and cells, HAS2-AS1 was found to be up-regulated, which, in turn, indicated the poor prognosis of NSCLC patients. Functional experiments illustrated that HAS2-AS1 promoted the proliferation, invasion and gefitinib chemotherapy resistance of NSCLC cells. In vivo, HAS2-AS1 knockdown suppressed the tumor growth. Mechanically, HAS2-AS1 recruited the lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) to the EphB3 promoter region to inhibit its transcription. In conclusion, this finding elucidates the essential roles of HAS2-AS1 in the NSCLC tumorigenesis, providing a possible treatment strategy for the NSCLC.