RNA-sequencing reveals the expression profiles of tsRNAs and their potential carcinogenic role in cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract

Background: Recently, the incidence of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) has gradually increased. As CCA has a poor prognosis, the ideal survival rate is scarce for patients. The abnormal expressed tsRNA may regulate the progression of a variety of tumors, and tsRNA is expected to become a new diagnostic marker of cancer. However, the expression of tsRNA is obscure and should be elucidated in CCA.Methods: We collected CCA tissues and adjacent normal tissues from three patients. High-throughput RNA-seq was utilized to determine the overall expression profiles of tsRNA in CCA and adjacent normal tissues and to screen the tsRNAs that were differentially expressed. The biological effects and potential signaling pathways of dysregulated tsRNAs between the CCA and adjacent normal tissues were explored by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses.Results: High-throughput RNA-seq totally demonstrated 535 dysregulated tsRNAs, of which 241 tsRNAs were upregulated and 294 tsRNAs were downregulated in CCA compared with adjacent normal tissues (|log2 (fold change)| >=1 and p value< 0.05). GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that the target genes of dysregulated tRFs (tRF-34-JJ6RRNLIK898HR, tRF-38-0668K87SERM492V, tRF-39-0668K87SERM492E2) were mainly enriched in the Notch signaling pathway, Hippo signaling pathway, and cAMP signaling pathway and in growth hormone synthesis, secretion and action.Conclusion: Differentially expressed tRFs in CCA are enriched in many pathways associated with neoplasms, which may impact the progression of CCA.