Identification of LncRNA NUSAP1 as a Novel Biomarker for Colorectal Cancer Progression and Metastasis

This study aimed to elucidate the biological functions, clinical significance, and diagnostic potential of the LncRNA NUSAP1 in the pathogenesis and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). The expression level of LncRNA NUSAP1 in CRC tissues and cell lines was measured using transcriptome sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). We analyzed its correlation with clinicopathological characteristics and serum tumor marker levels. The diagnostic efficacy was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Functional assays, including CCK-8, wound healing, transwell invasion assays, and flow cytometry, were performed in HCT116 cells following knockdown and overexpression of LncRNA NUSAP1. These assays assessed its role in cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. LncRNA NUSAP1 was significantly upregulated in CRC tissues and cell lines. Its high expression was strongly associated with a larger tumor size, a higher histological grade, advanced TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis ( p  < 0.001). Furthermore, LncRNA NUSAP1 expression showed strong positive correlation with serum CEA(R = 0.762) and CA19-9 (R = 0.834) levels. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for LncRNA NUSAP1 in diagnosing CRC was 0.849, indicating overall diagnostic performance comparable to that of CEA and superior to that of CA19-9. Functional experiments revealed that knockdown of LncRNA NUSAP1 suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and promoted apoptosis. In contrast, overexpression of LncRNA NUSAP1 enhanced these malignant phenotypes and inhibited apoptosis. LncRNA NUSAP1 may act as an oncogene in CRC, promoting tumor progression by enhancing cell proliferation, and migration, and inhibiting apoptosis. LncRNA NUSAP1 expression is closely associated with disease severity and exhibits promising diagnostic performance, suggesting its potential as a novel molecular biomarker and therapeutic target for CRC.