A growing evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can function as a microRNA (miRNA) sponge in various diseases including oral cancer. However, the pathophysiological function of lncRNAs remains unclear. Based on the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) theory, we constructed a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network in oral cancer with the human expression profiles GSE74530 from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We used topological analysis to determine the hub lncRNAs in the regulatory ceRNA network. Then, function enrichment analysis was performed using the clusterProfiler R package. Clinical information was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and survival analysis was performed with Kaplan-Meier analysis. A total of 238 potential co-dysregulated competing triples were obtained in the lncRNA-associated ceRNA network in oral cancer, which consisted of 10 lncRNA nodes, 41 miRNA nodes and 122 mRNA nodes. Additionally, we found lncRNA HCG22 exhibiting superior potential as a diagnostic and prognostic marker of oral cancer. Our findings provide novel insights to understand the ceRNA regulation in oral cancer and identify a novel lncRNA as a potential molecular biomarker.

中文翻译：

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基于竞争性内源RNA的lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA网络的构建和分析揭示了口腔癌中的功能性lncRNA。

越来越多的证据表明，长的非编码RNA（lncRNA）可以在包括口腔癌在内的各种疾病中充当microRNA（miRNA）海绵。但是，lncRNA的病理生理功能仍不清楚。基于竞争性内源性RNA（ceRNA）理论，我们利用基因表达综合（GEO）数据库中的人表达谱GSE74530构建了口腔癌中的lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA网络。我们使用拓扑分析来确定调节性ceRNA网络中的中枢lncRNA。然后，使用clusterProfiler R软件包执行功能丰富的分析。从癌症基因组图谱（TCGA）数据库下载了临床信息，并通过Kaplan-Meier分析进行了生存分析。在与口腔癌相关的lncRNA相关ceRNA网络中，共获得238个潜在的共失调的竞争三联体，该网络由10个lncRNA节点，41个miRNA节点和122个mRNA节点组成。另外，我们发现lncRNA HCG22作为口腔癌的诊断和预后标志物具有较高的潜力。我们的发现提供了新颖的见解，以了解口腔癌中的ceRNA调控并鉴定出新的lncRNA作为潜在的分子生物标记。