Comprehensive analysis of lncRNA biomarkers in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma by lncRNA-mediated ceRNA network

PLoS One. 2021 Jun 8;16(6):e0252452. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252452. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Introduction: Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) has a high incidence globally, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), as a molecular sponge, participates in the regulation of competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA). We aimed to construct a ceRNA network and screened out possible lncRNAs to predict KIRC prognosis.

Material and methods: All KIRC data were downloaded from the TCGA database and screened to find the possible target lncRNA; a ceRNA network was designed. Next, GO functional enrichment and KEGG pathway of differentially expressed mRNA related to lncRNA were performed. We used Kaplan-Meier curve analysis to predict the survival of these RNAs. We used Cox regression analysis to construct a model to predict KIRC prognosis.

Results: In the KIRC datasets, 1457 lncRNA, 54 miRNA and 2307 mRNA were screened out. The constructed ceRNA network contained 81 lncRNAs, nine miRNAs, and 17 mRNAs differentially expressed in KIRC. Survival analysis of all differentially expressed RNAs showed that 21 lncRNAs, four miRNAs, and two mRNAs were related to the overall survival rate. Cox regression analysis was performed again, and we found that eight lncRNAs were related to prognosis and used to construct predictive models. Three lnRNAs from independent samples were meaningful.

Conclusion: The construction of ceRNA network was involved in the process and transfer of KIRC, and three lncRNAs may be potential targets for predicting KIRC prognosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / physiology
  • Gene Regulatory Networks
  • Humans
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism

Substances

  • MicroRNAs
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • RNA, Messenger

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation for Young Scientists of China (No. 8150020951) and the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province (No. 2016JJ4099). LX is supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China and the Science and Technology Department of Hunan Province. The funder has no role in research design, data collection and analysis, publication decision, or manuscript preparation.