Clinical Significance of LncRNAs SOX2-OT and NEAT1 in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Abstract Despite strides in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for ESCC, patient survival rates remain relatively low. Recent studies highlight the pivotal role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in regulating diverse cellular activities in humans. Dysregulated lncRNAs have emerged as potential diagnostic indicators across various cancers, including ESCC. However, further research is necessary to effectively leverage ESCC-associated lncRNAs in clinical settings. Understanding their clinical significance for ESCC diagnosis and their mechanisms can pave the way for more effective therapeutic strategies. Our qRT-PCR observations indicated significant downregulation of SOX2-OT and NEAT1 in ESCC blood samples (SOX2-OT down by ~ 2.02-fold and NEAT1 down by ~ 1.53-fold). The decreased expression of SOX2-OT and NEAT1 shows promise in differentiating ESCC patients from healthy individuals, as demonstrated by Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves and Area Under the Curve (AUC) values (AUC: SOX2-OT = 0.736, NEAT1 = 0.621) for ESCC diagnosis. Subsequent investigations explored the relationship between aberrant SOX2-OT and NEAT1 expression in ESCC patients and various clinicopathological features, including age, gender, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, hot beverage intake, tumor grade, and TNM stages. In-depth in-silico analysis unveiled the involvement of SOX2-OT and NEAT1 in miRNA sponging through the mTOR and MAPK pathways. In contrast, co-expression network analysis identified genes co-expressed with these lncRNA targets. This groundwork lays the foundation for future endeavours aimed at identifying and predicting ESCC prognosis by leveraging SOX2-OT and NEAT1. By thoroughly investigating the functions of these lncRNAs, we aim to deepen our understanding of their potential as diagnostic markers and their role in facilitating effective therapeutic interventions for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) within clinical contexts.