The Oncogenic Role of , a Long Non-Coding RNA, in Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: An Integrative Transcriptome and Functional Analysis.

Dysregulated long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression is linked to various cancers and may be influenced by oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, a known and detectable risk factor in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients. However, research on the oncogenic role of EBV-induced lncRNAs in OSCC is limited. To identify lncRNA-associated EBV infection and OSCC carcinogenesis, the differential expression of RNA-seq datasets from paired normal adjacent and OSCC tissues, and microarray data from EBV-negative and EBV-positive SCC25 cells, were identified and selected, respectively, for interaction, functional analysis, and CCK-8 cell proliferation, wound healing, and invasion Transwell assays. In OSCC tissues, 6731 differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified when compared to normal tissues from RNA-seq datasets, with 295 linked to EBV-induced OSCC carcinogenesis from microarray datasets. The EBV-induced lncRNA showed significant upregulation in EBV-positive SCC25 cells and EBV-infected adjacent and OSCC tissue samples. potentially promotes OSCC via the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA axis or direct protein interactions, affecting various cellular processes. Studies in OSCC cell lines revealed that elevated levels enhanced cell migration and invasion. This study demonstrates 's contribution to tumor progression and possible interactions with its targets in OSCC, offering insights for future research on functional mechanisms and therapeutic targets in EBV-associated OSCC.