Colon cancer is the third most common carcinoma and the second major cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide [1], [2]. In 2020, colon cancer accounted for 6.0 % of new cases for all 36 cancers and caused more than 570,000 deaths [3]. The five-year survival rate for colon cancer is about 50 % [4], which declines to 10 %–15 % when it recurs or metastasizes locally [5]. Current treatments for colon cancer include surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. However, most patients with liver metastases do not meet surgical criteria. Most treatments also do not effectively target colon cancer [6]. A better understanding of the pathogenesis and metastasis mechanism of colon cancer is required to improve the survival rate.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a member of the non-coding RNAs family that contains more than 200 nucleotides and affects cellular activities, such as proliferation, invasion, and migration [7], [8]. It has been shown that lncRNA-CDC6 accelerates the progression of breast cancer by regulating CDC6 and miR-215 [9]. Likewise, Wang et al. found that lncRNA LINRIS propels the development of colorectal cancer by stabilizing IGF2BP2 [10]. LncRNA KB-1980E6.3 maintains cell stemness in breast cancer by regulating IGF2BP1 to stabilize c-Myc mRNA [11]. Several studies have identified different lncRNAs that regulate other human cancers such as colon cancer. LINC00261 reportedly suppresses colon cancer cell growth by sponging miR-324-3p and deactivating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway [12]. FAM83H-AS1, however, upregulates colon cancer and is associated with poor prognoses [13]. SNHG15 also stabilizes Slug to promote colon cancer [14]. Another lncRNA linked to colon cancer is AC125611.3 (also referred to as RP11-161H23.5), which has rarely been studied.

Dyskeratosis congenita 1 (DKC1) facilitates the development of several cancers, including colorectal cancer [15], [16], [17] but is also rarely studied. Finally, catenin beta-1 (CTNNB1), a colon cancer-related gene [18], [19], may accelerate colon cancer progression [20].

Accordingly, this study aims to determine whether AC125611.3 promotes cell growth in colon cancer by interacting with CTNNB1 and DKC1, which may reveal a novel treatment for colon cancer.