In silico screening of differentially expressed genes influenced by AFAP۱-AS۱ in lung adenocarcinoma

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have regulatory effects on gene expression. Dysregulation of lncRNAs has an essential impact on the transcriptome, influencing cellular functions and behaviors. High expression of lncRNA AFAP۱-AS۱ has been widely reported in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The purpose of this study was to predict some of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by which AFAP۱-AS۱ can influence the transcriptome in LUAD. R software was used to determine the DEGs from TCGA-LUAD expression data. It was focused on DEmRNAs that may be directly (mRNA-lncRNA) or indirectly (TFs- or miRNAs-lncRNA) influenced by AFAP۱-AS۱ according to the RNAInter, TRRUST, and miRTarBase databases. Approximately, ۱۵۸۴ DEmRNAs could be influenced by AFAP۱-AS۱ in LUAD. Cell cycle and cellular senescence were the most significant enriched pathways of the ۱۵۸۴ DEmRNAs. In the transcription regulatory network, several overexpressed oncogenes such as CCNE۱, BIRC۵, CDK۱, MMP۹, and MMP۱ were identified as diagnostic biomarkers based on ROC curve analysis. AFAP۱-AS۱ competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network included ۵ low-expressed miRNAs and ۱۲ high-expressed mRNAs (such as CDK۱). It was found significant correlations between the expression of AFAP۱-AS۱ related DEmRNAs such as MMP۹ and MMP۱ (metastatic genes) and tumor infiltration of the cancer-associated fibroblast in LUAD based on the TIMER۲.۰ database. The results of this study highlight AFAP۱-AS۱ effect on cell cycle and metastasis and provide new insights into how highly expressed AFAP۱-AS۱ acts as an oncogene and could be considered as a therapeutic target in LUAD.

کلیدواژه ها:

Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts ، Long noncoding RNAs ، MicroRNAs ، MMP۹ and CDK۱ ، Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer