Department of Urology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Clin Transl Oncol. 2020 Sep;22(9):1524-1531. doi: 10.1007/s12094-020-02291-0. Epub 2020 Jan 21.
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) are involved in oncogenesis and tumor progression in various tumor entities. At present, little is known about the role in tumor biology of the lncRNA Fer-1 like family member 4 (Fer1L4) in clear-cell renal-cell carcinoma (ccRCC). The aim of this study is to evaluate the expression of Fer1L4 in patients with ccRCC, its association with clinicopathological parameters, and value as prognostic biomarker.
The expression of Fer1L4 was analyzed in the TCGA ccRCC cohort (n = 603; ccRCC n = 522, normal n = 81) and subsequently validated by quantitative real-time PCR in an independent cohort (n = 103, ccRCC n = 69, normal n = 34). Expression profiles were statistically correlated with clinicopathological and survival data.
Fer1L4 lncRNA is overexpressed in ccRCC compared to adjacent normal tissues. Increased expression significantly correlates with tumor aggressiveness: high expression levels of Fer1L4 RNA were found in higher grade, higher stage, and metastatic tumors. Furthermore, Fer1L4 overexpression is an independent prognostic factor for overall, cancer-specific, and progression-free survival of patients with ccRCC.
Fer1L4 expression significantly correlates with aspects of tumor aggressiveness. Based on this impact on tumor progression and its influence as an independent prognostic factor, Fer1L4 appears to exert properties as an oncogene in ccRCC. As a prognostic tissue biomarker, further functional investigations are warranted to investigate Fer1L4 as a potential therapeutic target.
长链非编码 RNA（lncRNA）参与各种肿瘤实体的肿瘤发生和肿瘤进展。目前，关于 lncRNAFer-1 样家族成员 4（Fer1L4）在透明细胞肾细胞癌（ccRCC）中的肿瘤生物学作用知之甚少。本研究旨在评估 Fer1L4 在 ccRCC 患者中的表达，及其与临床病理参数的关系，并作为预后生物标志物的价值。
分析了 TCGA ccRCC 队列（n=603；ccRCC n=522，正常 n=81）中 Fer1L4 的表达，并随后通过定量实时 PCR 在独立队列（n=103，ccRCC n=69，正常 n=34）中进行验证。表达谱与临床病理和生存数据进行了统计学相关性分析。
与相邻正常组织相比，Fer1L4 lncRNA 在 ccRCC 中表达上调。Fer1L4 RNA 的高表达与肿瘤侵袭性显著相关：Fer1L4 RNA 的高表达水平见于更高的分级、更高的分期和转移性肿瘤。此外，Fer1L4 过表达是 ccRCC 患者总生存期、癌症特异性生存期和无进展生存期的独立预后因素。
Fer1L4 表达与肿瘤侵袭性的某些方面显著相关。基于对肿瘤进展的这种影响及其作为独立预后因素的影响，Fer1L4 似乎在 ccRCC 中具有癌基因的特性。作为一种预后组织生物标志物，需要进一步的功能研究来研究 Fer1L4 作为潜在的治疗靶点。
