LncRNA LEF1-AS1/LEF1/FUT8 Axis Mediates Colorectal Cancer Progression by Regulating α1, 6-Fucosylationvia Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway

Background Fucosylation alteration is involved in several steps of human cancer pathogenesis. Dysregulated long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) often leads to malignancy in colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods Differential levels of LEF1-AS1, LEF1 and FUT8 are analyzed by qRT-PCR and western blot. Chip, RIP, EMSA and luciferase reporter assay confirm the direct interaction among LEF1-AS1, MLL1, H3K4me3, LEF1 and FUT8. Functionally, CRC cell proliferation, migration and invasion are analyzed by CCK8 assay, colony formation assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry. The xenografts nude mice models, lung metastasis and liver metastasis are established to determine the effect of LEF1-AS1/LEF1/FUT8 axis on CRC progression in vivo. Results Here, we identify that LEF1-AS1 and LEF1 are higher in CRC tissues than that in adjacent tissues, as well as upregulated in CRC cell lines than that in normal colorectal cells. Altered levels of LEF1-AS1 modulate LEF1 expression, while altered LEF1 could not regulate LEF1-AS1. LEF1-AS1 recruits MLL1 to the promoter region of LEF1, induces H3K4me3 methylation modification and mediates LEF1 transcription. Furthermore, α1-6 fucosyltransferase FUT8 is overexpressed in CRC tissues and positively correlated to LEF1. FUT8 is a direct target of transcription factor LEF1, which regulates FUT8 level. Altered FUT8 also regulates the core fucosylation of CRC cells, and LEF1-AS1 mediates FUT8 level through activation of Wnt/β-catenin/LEF1 pathway, thereby resulting in β-catenin nuclear translocation. In addition, LEF1-AS1 mediates the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells in vitro. LEF1-AS1 silence hinders the tumorigenesis, liver and lung metastasis of SW620 cells in vivo, while overexpressed FUT8 abolishes the suppressive impact of LEF1-AS1 repression on the biological behavior of SW620 cells. Conclusion Our studies uncovered a novel mechanism for constitutive LEF1-AS1/LEF1/FUT8 axis in CRC progression by regulating α1, 6-fucosylation via Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and consequently, as a potential therapeutic target in CRC.