Long non-coding RNA AC005479.2 plays a critical role in papillary thyroid carcinoma

Abstract

Background Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common subtype of differentiated thyroid malignancy, with increasing incidence. The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) AC005479.2 has been shown to play a role in the tumorigenesis and development of multiple cancers, although its role in PTC remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to identify the expression, function, and mechanisms of AC005479.2 in PTC. Methods The data were downloaded from TCGA database. The expression of AC005479.2 in PTC samples was determined by R package “limma” and RT-qPCR, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to explore the association between AC005479.2 and PTC. Through genetic enrichment analysis (GSEA) set of AC005479.2, potential function and molecular mechanism were discussed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the performance of AC005479.2. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to analyze the effects on the prognosis of patients with PTC. Results The results showed that AC005479.2 was up-regulated in TCGA-PTC and PTC samples. Eleven PTC-related modules were obtained from the WGCNA, and AC005479.2 was in the blue module, which had the strongest association with PTC. AC005479.2-related genes were obtained from the blue module, and GSEA-GO analysis of these genes was mainly enriched in aerobic respiration, lipid oxidation, and negative regulation of extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway via death down, while KEGG analysis was mainly enriched in the MAPK, JAK-STAT, and NOTCH signaling pathways. Area under the ROC curve is 0.838, prompt AC005479.2 may be PTC diagnostic biomarkers. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses indicated that AC005479.2 was an independent risk factor for the prognosis of patients with PTC. Conclusion AC005479.2 is up-regulated in PTC, where it may serve as a biomarker gene, providing an important basis for future research.