The novel lncRNA CALIC upregulates AXL to promote colon cancer metastasis

Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are aberrantly expressed in many disease conditions, including cancer. Accumulating evidence indicates that some lncRNAs may play critical roles in cancer progression and metastasis. Here, we identify a set of lncRNAs that are upregulated in metastatic subpopulations isolated from colon cancer HCT116 cells in vivo and show that one of these lncRNAs, which we name CALIC , is required for the metastatic activity of colon cancer cells. We show that CALIC associates with the RNA‐binding protein hnRNP‐L and imparts specificity to hnRNP‐L‐mediated gene expression. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the CALIC /hnRNP‐L complex upregulates the tyrosine kinase receptor AXL and that knockdown of CALIC or AXL using shRNA in colon cancer cells attenuates their ability to form metastases in mice. These results suggest that the CALIC /hnRNP‐L complex enhances the metastatic potential of colon cancer cells. Synopsis The lncRNA CALIC associates with hnRNP‐L to induce AXL expression and to enhance the metastatic potential of colon cancer cells. The novel lncRNA CALIC is required for the metastatic activity of colon cancer cells. The novel lncRNA CALIC associates with the RNA‐binding protein hnRNP‐L to induce AXL expression. The CALIC /hnRNP‐L complex enhances the metastatic potential of colon cancer cells. Graphical Abstract The lncRNA CALIC associates with hnRNP‐L to induce AXL expression and to enhance the metastatic potential of colon cancer cells.