A critical role for the long non-coding RNA GAS5 in proliferation and apoptosis in non-small-cell lung cancer

In more recent years, long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been investigated as a new class of regulators of cellular processes, such as cell growth, apoptosis, and carcinogenesis. Although lncRNAs are dysregulated in numerous cancer types, limited data are available on the expression profile and functional role of lncRNAs in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the present study, we determined the expression pattern of the growth arrest‐specific transcript 5 (GAS5) in 72 NSCLC specimens by qRT‐PCR and assess its biological functions in the development and progression of NSCLC. The results revealed that GAS5 expression was down‐regulated in cancerous tissues compared to adjacent noncancerous tissues (P