A 16 Epithelia-mesenchymal Transition Associated LncRNAs Signature to Optimize Prognosis Predication of Stomach Adenocarcinoma

The study aimed to identify critical long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and constructed a prognostic signature to optimize prognosis predication of patients with Stomach Adenocarcinoma (STAD).

STAD is a common malignant tumor with a high metastasis rate and low survival rate. LncRNAs participate in the regulation process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the development of STAD.

RNAseq data were obtained from TCGA-STAD, while 200 EMT-associated genes (EAGs) from the ‘HALLMARK_EPITHELIAL_MESENCHYMA-L _TRANSITION’ gene set. Differentially expressed EAGs and EMT-associated lncRNAs (EALs) were identified. Moreover, Lasso-Cox regression analysis was used to construct a signature of differentially expressed EALs, and univariate and multivariate analyses, Kaplan-Meier analysis, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, and nomogram were conducted to predict its prognostic value. An enrichment functional analysis was performed. Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to determine lncRNAs expressions in cell lines.

A total of 52 differentially expressed EAGs and 320 EALs were identified in this study. Meanwhile, 16 EALs were used to construct the signature, and further analysis indicated that it had a high prognostic value for STAD patients. Enrichment functional analysis revealed the signature was correlated to tumor immunity in STAD. Moreover, three novel EALs expressions were confirmed in cell lines.

A novel survival signature was established to predict and evaluate the prognosis of STAD patients.