Decoding the genetic symphony: Profiling protein-coding and long noncoding RNA expression in T-acute lymphoblastic...

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Molecular Biology
• Oncology

Background:

• T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a complex blood cancer with diverse molecular features.
• Current understanding of T-ALL's molecular landscape and its prognostic implications is limited.
• Identifying novel biomarkers is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively analyze the transcriptomic profile of T-ALL.
• To identify and validate gene expression signatures associated with T-ALL prognosis.
• To uncover novel molecular markers for predicting patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• RNA sequencing was performed on 35 T-ALL patients.
• Prognostic relevance of 23 molecular targets was validated in a cohort of 99 T-ALL patients.
• Principal component analysis and survival analyses were employed.

Main Results:

• Distinct transcriptomic clusters correlated with T-ALL immunophenotypic subtypes.
• High expression of MEF2C, BAALC, HHEX, and LYL1 indicated poor survival (OS, EFS, RFS).
• Increased ST20 lncRNA and RAG1 expression showed favorable prognostic impact.

Conclusions:

• Novel associations between gene expression patterns, clinicopathologic features, and prognosis in T-ALL were identified.
• Specific genes (MEF2C, BAALC, HHEX, LYL1, LMO2) and lncRNA (ST20) alongside RAG1 serve as potential prognostic markers.
• These findings contribute to understanding T-ALL molecular pathogenesis and may guide therapeutic strategies.