Objective To investigate the effects of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) taurine up-regulated gene 1 (TUG1) on the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of gastric cancer cells.

Methods The expression levels of LncRNA TUG1 in gastric cancer tissues and adjacent non-cancerous tissues were analyzed based on public databases. The expression of lncRNA TUG1 in gastric cancer cell lines was detected by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). SGC-7901 gastric cancer cells were transfected with si-TUG1 and si-NC, and the effects of knocking down lncRNA TUG1 on cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and angiogenesis were analyzed using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, colony formation assay, Transwell assay, and Matrigel tube formation assay. The correlation between alkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5) gene and lncRNA TUG1 was analyzed based on public databases. The regulatory relationship between ALKBH5 and lncRNA TUG1 was verified using Actinomycin D experiments. The effects of knocking down ALKBH5 on the proliferation, colony formation, migration, and angiogenesis of gastric cancer cells were analyzed through cell function experiments.

Results LncRNA TUG1 was up-regulated in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines. After knocking down lncRNA TUG1, the proliferation, colony formation, migration, and angiogenesis abilities of SGC-7901 cells were lower than those of control cells(P < 0.05). Database analysis results showed that ALKBH5 was positively correlated with lncRNA TUG1 expression in gastric cancer (r=0.37, P < 0.05). Compared with control cells, the RNA stability of lncRNA TUG1 in SGC-7901 cells with knocked-down ALKBH5 decreased, and the cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and angiogenesis abilities were also reduced (P < 0.05).

Conclusion ALKBH5 promotes the proliferation, colony formation, migration, and angiogenesis of gastric cancer cells by inducing the expression of lncRNA TUG1.