The Expression Patterns and Implications of MALAT1, MANCR, PSMA3-AS1 and miR-101 in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Area of Science:

• Molecular Oncology
• Gastrointestinal Cancer Research
• Non-coding RNA Biology

Background:

• Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) pathogenesis involves poorly understood molecular mechanisms.
• Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are increasingly recognized for their roles in cancer.
• Identifying novel biomarkers for EAC prognosis is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the expression patterns of lncRNAs MALAT1, MANCR, PSMA3-AS1, and miRNA miR-101 in EAC.
• To correlate these expression levels with clinicopathological features and patient survival.
• To assess the potential of these molecules as prognostic markers for EAC.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed on 50 EAC tissue samples and 26 healthy controls.
• Expression levels of MALAT1, MANCR, PSMA3-AS1, and miR-101 were quantified.
• Statistical analyses correlated molecular expression with TNM stage, tumor grade, lymphatic invasion, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS).

Main Results:

• MALAT1 and MANCR were significantly upregulated in EAC tissues and lymph nodes (p < 0.05), correlating with advanced lymphatic metastasis and N stage.
• Low MANCR expression was associated with better DFS in patients without lymph node metastasis (p = 0.02).
• miR-101 was significantly downregulated (p < 0.05) and correlated negatively with advanced tumor stage, lymphatic invasion, and tumor grade, with low expression tending towards inferior OS.
• PSMA3-AS1 showed no significant expression alterations (p > 0.05).

Conclusions:

• MALAT1, MANCR, and miR-101 are dysregulated in esophageal adenocarcinoma.
• These molecules serve as potential prognostic biomarkers for EAC, indicating their involvement in disease progression.
• Further research into their functional roles could offer therapeutic targets.