Long non-coding RNA HEIH suppresses the expression of TP53 through enhancer of zeste homolog 2 in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

It is increasingly evident that the molecular and biological functions of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) are vital for understanding the molecular biology and progression of cancer. The lncRNA-HEIH, a newly identified lncRNA, has been demonstrated to be up-regulated in hepatocellular cancer. However, little is known about its role in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In the present study, an obvious up-regulation of lncRNA-HEIH was observed in ESCC compared to the adjacent normal tissues. Meanwhile, patients with high expression of lncRNA-HEIH have significantly poorer prognosis than those with low expression. We further found that lncRNA-HEIH was associated with enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and that this association led to the repression of TP53. These findings indicate that lncRNA-HEIH may serve as a prognostic marker and a potential therapeutic target for ESCC.