The role of NEAT1 lncRNA in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is still difficult to define

Abstract

Introduction Nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 ( NEAT1 ) is considered an oncogene in various cancers, but the role in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) is not clear. Material and methods Expression of NEAT1 in HNSCC patients’ samples and cell lines was analysed using qRT-PCR. The TCGA expression data of NEAT1 were analysed depending on the clinicopathological parameters and tumour localisation. Correlation and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were conducted, and the results were analysed using the REACTOME and GeneMANIA tools. All statistical analyses were carried out using GraphPad Prism 5 and Statistica 13. Results The NEAT1 was up-regulated in some patients’ samples and HNSCC cell lines. Moreover, TCGA data analysis indicated that the expression of NEAT1 was up-regulated in tumour tissue in most of the analysed TCGA cancers, including HNSCC. There were no significant differences in levels of NEAT1 between various tumour localisations. Overall survival of individuals with high expression of NEAT1 was slightly longer than in the low-expression group ( p = 0.0553). Analysis of genes that positively and negatively correlated with NEAT1 indicated that they are involved in mRNA metabolism and cellular transport. Moreover, the GSEA revealed that in patients with low NEAT1 , the most up-regulated genes were in clusters associated with the cAMP-dependent pathway, the MYC pathway, unfolded protein response, the MTORC1 signalling pathway, oxidative phosphorylation, and DNA repair. Conclusions Patients with low expression of NEAT1 display worse overall survival, presumably due to up-regulation of certain oncogenic signalling pathways that are important for cancerogenesis.

The World of Pseudogenes: New Diagnostic and Therapeutic Targets in Cancers or Still Mystery Molecules?

“…It is also postulated that lncRNAs function as molecular sponges for miRNA, e.g., ZFAS1 lncRNA, which regulates miR-150-5p in HNSCC [23]. lncRNAs could probably be used as biomarkers in oncology, but the role of some of these transcripts is not fully understood [22,[24][25][26][27]. Detailed information about lncRNAs is described by us elsewhere [24,28].…”

Long Noncoding RNAs and Circular RNAs Regulate AKT and Its Effectors to Control Cell Functions of Cancer Cells

“…Similarly, noncoding RNA activated by DNA damage (NORAD) knockdown in neuroblastoma cells upregulates the poly [ADPribose] polymerase 1 (PARP1), a DNA damage sensor for DNA repair [135]. In contrast, in gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), head neck cancer patients with low lncRNA NEAT1 expression exhibit upregulation of c-Myc and DNA repair signaling [136]. A detailed assessment of DNA damage response influenced by more c-Myc-regulating lncRNAs is warranted to provide more evidence for their impacts on cancer cells in the future.…”

Long Intergenic Non-Coding RNAs in HNSCC: From “Junk DNA” to Important Prognostic Factor

“…The aberrant expression of lincRNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) in different cancers has been widely described. Previously, we conducted a study regarding its still pending role in HNSCC biology [146]. The non-coding RNA repressor of NFAT (NRON) acts as a part of a scaffold that binds the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) and subsequently could affect the T cell activation and immune system response to cancer [147].…”