Body mass index-associated lncRNAs and their roles in lung cancer

Abstract

Background: Obesity often increases the risk of cancer and worsens the prognosis. Unlike most types of cancer, obesity and lung cancer displayed a mixed relationship. Several studies concluded that obesity had an inverse impact on incidents of lung cancer and benefited the overall survival, with few underlying mechanisms understood. Obesity-related and adipocytes-derived lncRNAs had been reported to deregulate the cancer-associated pathways. Here we conducted this study to identify the potential BMI-associated lncRNAs and their roles in lung cancer. Methods: We identified the BMI-associated lncRNAs from the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) lung study, with additional analyses of their relationship with lung cancer, impact on overall survival, and potential pathways involved. In addition, we carried out the validation in local peripheral blood samples from 4 groups, including healthy, obese, lung cancer patients with obesity, and lung cancer patients with normal BMI. Results: We identified four BMI-associated lncRNAs which potentially impacting tumor progression and cancer survival. MTORC1 and MYC were among the top pathways enriched from these lncRNAs. We further validated that TM4SF19-AS1 showed a significant difference between lung cancer patients with obesity and with normal BMI in peripheral blood. Conclusions: Our findings suggested that BMI-associated lncRNAs could potentially regulate cancer-related pathways and immune response in lung cancer. The lncRNA validated in peripheral blood could serve as biomarkers to monitor cancer progression.