ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the major cause of cancer death worldwide. Increasing evidence shows that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are widely involved in the development and progression of NSCLC. ncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 (SNHG1) has not been studied in cancer, especially its role in lung cancer remains unknown. Our studies were designed to investigate the expression and biological significance of SNHG1 in lung cancer. SNHG1 may be a novel ncRNA in early diagnosis in lung cancer. METHODS: Noncoding RNA SNHG1 expression in 7 lung cancer cell lines was measured by quantitative real‑time polymerase chain reaction. RNA interference approaches were used to find the biological functions of SNHG1. The effect of SNHG1 on proliferation was evaluated by cell count and crystal violet stains. RESULTS: Noncoding RNA SNHG1 expression was significantly upregulated in lung cancer cells when compared with normal bronchial epithelial cells. In addition, in vitro assays our results indicated that knockdown of SNHG1 inhibited cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicated that ncRNA SNHG1 is significantly upregulated in NSCLC cell lines and may represent a new biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC intervention.