The diagnostic value of LncRNA HNF1A-AS1 for nasopharynx cancer and its regulation of malignant progression via miR-149-5p

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a prevalent head and neck malignancy in southern China, and urgently needs biomarkers for early diagnosis. This study aims to explore the diagnostic value and regulatory mechanism of LncRNA HNF1A-AS1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In this study, 108 patients with NPC and 132 benign lesion controls were included. HNF1A-AS1 and miR-149-5p expression in serum were detected by RT-qPCR, and the diagnostic efficacy was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The regulation of the biological behaviour of NPC cells by HNF1A-AS1 was verified using cell function assays (CCK8, apoptosis, Transwell). Its targeting relationship with miR-149-5p was confirmed via dual luciferase reporter gene assays. Serum HNF1A-AS1 was significantly upregulated in NPC patients, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.890 for NPC diagnosis. Its expression was positively correlated with classic tumor markers (CEA, CYFRA21-1, SCCA). A combined diagnostic model integrating HNF1A-AS1 and the three above markers achieved an AUC of 0.950, showing superior diagnostic efficacy to any single indicator. The expression of HNF1A-AS1 was also associated with tumor differentiation, TNM stage, and metastasis. Silencing of HNF1A-AS1 inhibited NPC cell proliferation, migration and invasion and promoted apoptosis. HNF1A-AS1 binds to miR-149-5p in a targeted manner, and the expression of both is negatively correlated. Co-inhibition experiments confirmed that miR-149-5p could reverse the inhibitory effect of HNF1A-AS1 silencing on the malignant phenotype of cells. Our findings suggest that serum HNF1A-AS1 is a promising potential noninvasive biomarker for NPC, and that it may promote tumor progression by targeting miR-149-5p. These results provide a preliminary basis for further investigation into HNF1A-AS1 as an aid in early NPC screening and as a potential therapeutic target.