Identification of lncRNAs Deregulated in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Based on a Gene Expression Profiling Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is one of the deadliest gynecological cancers worldwide, mainly because of its initially asymptomatic nature and consequently late diagnosis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) are non-coding transcripts of more than 200 nucleotides, whose deregulation is involved in pathologies such as EOC, and are therefore envisaged as future biomarkers. We present a meta-analysis of available gene expression profiling (microarray and RNA sequencing) studies from EOC patients to identify lncRNA genes with diagnostic and prognostic value. In this meta-analysis, we include 46 independent cohorts, along with available expression profiling data from EOC cell lines. Differential expression analyses were conducted to identify those lncRNAs that are deregulated in (i) EOC versus healthy ovary tissue, (ii) unfavorable versus more favorable prognosis, (iii) metastatic versus primary tumors, (iv) chemoresistant versus chemosensitive EOC, and (v) correlation to specific histological subtypes of EOC. From the results of this meta-analysis, we established a panel of lncRNAs that are highly correlated with EOC. The panel includes several lncRNAs that are already known and even functionally characterized in EOC, but also lncRNAs that have not been previously correlated with this cancer, and which are discussed in relation to their putative role in EOC and their potential use as clinically relevant tools.

The roles of long non-coding RNAs in ovarian cancer: from functions to therapeutic implications

“…Additionally, cell-specific and tissue-specific expression patterns are distinctive features of lncRNAs ( 29 ), facilitating the identification of lesions in specific tissues and the classification of different cell types ( 30 , 31 ). Surprisingly, there was an unexpected specificity between dysregulated lncRNAs and histological isoforms of OC ( 32 ). Therefore, the exploration of the tissue specificity of lncRNAs will help to discover new markers associated with cancer types and apply them to the early detection of tumors or anti-cancer therapy.…”

LncRNA <i>IDH1-AS1</i> sponges miR-518c-5p to suppress proliferation of epithelial ovarian cancer cell by targeting RMB47

“…With the development of human genome sequencing technologies, various nonprotein-coding transcripts have been discovered. Those transcripts with more than 200 nucleotides in length are termed long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) [ 4 ] . It has been widely reported that lncRNAs participate in multiple biological processes, including the regulation of transcriptional and posttranscriptional gene expression.…”