Co-expression of long non-coding RNAs and protein-coding genes in pediatric B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

ABSTRACT: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in numerous diseases and represent an emerging layer of cancer biology. However, the role that lncRNAs play in the pathogenesis of pediatric B-cell leukemia (B-ALL) with t(12;21) (ETV6-RUNX1) translocation is largely unknown. In this study, we assessed the lncRNA expression profiles of 42 pediatric B-ALL (24 with and 18 without the t(12;21) translocation) and 4 bone marrows from healthy donors. We identified 117 lncRNAs that were differentially expressed (fold change> 1.5 and FDR > 0.05) between the B-ALL subgroups (ETV6-RUNX1-positive and ETV6-RUNX1-negative). The most upregulated lncRNAs in ETV6-RUNX1 positive B-ALL were TCL6, RP4-697K14.3, LOC100292680, RP11-345I18.1, LINC00599 and TRAF3IP2-AS1, while the most downregulated were RP11-135F9.1, RP11-561B11.1, AK095221, RP11-463H12.1, AC007283.4 and CCDC26. Coding-non-coding gene co-expression networks were constructed to identify lncRNAs with potential functions in ETV6-RUNX1 translocation. Levels of representative lncRNA-mRNA pairs were further detected by RT-qPCR in patients with pediatric B-ALL. Importantly, pediatric B-ALL patients who expressed low levels of the lncRNA TCL6 had lower disease-free survival than patients with high levels of TCL6. Thus, these findings provide the first detailed description of lncRNA expression profiles related to t(12;21) translocation in pediatric B-ALL. Such lncRNAs profiles might play important roles in driving normal cells to leukemic cells. These lncRNAs may provide novel molecular biomarkers and offer new basis for combating pediatric B-ALL.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE128254 | GEO | 2019/12/10

REPOSITORIES: GEO