Whole transcriptome analysis reveals correlation of long noncoding RNA ZEB1-AS1 with invasive profile in melanoma

Author(s)

Diogenes Siena, Adamo Davi ^{[1, 2]} ; Placa, Jessica Rodrigues ^{[2, 3]} ; Araujo, Luiza Ferreira ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; de Barros, Isabela Ichihara ^{[1, 2]} ; Peronni, Kamila ^[2] ; Molfetta, Greice ^{[1, 2, 4]} ; Oliveira de Biagi Jr, Carlos Alberto ; Espreafico, Enilza Maria ^[5] ; Sousa, Josane Freitas ^{[6, 3, 7]} ; Araujo Silva Jr, Wilson

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Med Sch, Dept Genet, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[2] Reg Blood Ctr Ribeirao Preto, Natl Inst Sci & Technol Stem Cell & Cell Therapy, Ctr Cell Based Therapy CEPID FAPESP, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[3] Ctr Integrat Syst Biol CISBi NAP USP, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[4] HCFMRP USP, Ctr Med Genom, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Med Sch, Dept Cellular & Mol Biol, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[6] Fed Univ Para, Inst Biol Sci, Belem, Para - Brazil

^[7] Oliveira de Biagi Jr, Jr., Carlos Alberto, Reg Blood Ctr Ribeirao Preto, Natl Inst Sci & Technol Stem Cell & Cell Therapy, Ctr Cell Based Therapy CEPID FAPESP, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 9, AUG 5 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, and little is known about the impact of deregulated expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the progression of this cancer. In this study, we explored RNA-Seq data to search for lncRNAs associated with melanoma progression. We found distinct lncRNA gene expression patterns across melanocytes, primary and metastatic melanoma cells. Also, we observed upregulation of the lncRNA ZEB1-AS1 (ZEB1 antisense RNA 1) in melanoma cell lines. Data analysis from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) confirmed higher ZEB1-AS1 expression in metastatic melanoma and its association with hotspot mutations in BRAF (B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase) gene and RAS family genes. In addition, a positive correlation between ZEB1-AS1 and ZEB1 (zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1) gene expression was verified in primary and metastatic melanomas. Using gene expression signatures indicative of invasive or proliferative phenotypes, we found an association between ZEB1-AS1 upregulation and a transcriptional profile for invasiveness. Enrichment analysis of correlated genes demonstrated cancer genes and pathways associated with ZEB1-AS1. We suggest that the lncRNA ZEB1-AS1 could function by activating ZEB1 gene expression, thereby influencing invasiveness and phenotype switching in melanoma, an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like process, which the ZEB1 gene has an essential role. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/08135-2 - CTC - Center for Cell-Based Therapy
• Grantee: Dimas Tadeu Covas
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC