Expression Profiles of Long Noncoding RNAs in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Background: Despite there being over 35,000 different long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) sequences described little is known regarding their molecular–pathological role in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Materials & methods: In this pilot study, lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles were determined in cSCC and control (n = 6) by an Arraystar human lncRNA Microarray. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment and gene ontology analysis of mRNAs was performed. Results: Analysis of differential expression revealed 1516 upregulated lncRNAs and 2586 downregulated lncRNAs in cSCC compared with controls. Data analysis identified known oncogenic lncRNAs, such as the HOX transcript antisense RNA HOTAIR, among the differentially expressed lncRNA sequences. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis showed that focal adhesion, extracellular matrix and the oncogenic phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase-Akt signaling pathway had the highest enrichment scores. Conclusion: This study provides the first evidence for differential expression of lncRNA in cSCC and serves as a template for further, larger functional in-depth analyses regarding cSCC molecular lncRNAs.

Keywords::

• cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
• epithelial skin cancer
• long noncoding RNAs
• noncoding RNAs
• nonmelanoma skin cancer

Supplementary data

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Financial & competing interests disclosure

D Sand was supported by the Heed Ophthalmic Foundation. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

Additional information

Funding

D Sand was supported by the Heed Ophthalmic Foundation. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.