ZFPM2-AS1 expression was higher in gastric tumors than in normal gastric tissue. Also, increased ZFPM2-AS1 expression in gastric cancer specimens was associated with tumor size, depth of tumor invasion, differentiation grade, and TNM stage. Mechanistic experiments demonstrated that tumor-activated ZFPM2-AS1 could bind to and protect the degradation of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a potent destabilizer of p53. Knockdown of MIF expression diminished ZFPM2-AS1's impact on p53 expression in gastric cancer cells. ZFPM2-AS1 expression was higher in gastric tumors than in normal gastric tissue. Also, increased ZFPM2-AS1 expression in gastric cancer specimens was associated with tumor size, depth of tumor invasion, differentiation grade, and TNM stage. Mechanistic experiments demonstrated that tumor-activated ZFPM2-AS1 could bind to and protect the degradation of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a potent destabilizer of p53. Knockdown of MIF expression diminished ZFPM2-AS1's impact on p53 expression in gastric cancer cells. We treated AGS cells with the DNA methylation inhibitor 5-azacytidine but find no change of ZFPM2-AS1 expression in them