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Transcriptional landscape of skeletal muscle in cancer patients

Samet Agca1, Serkan Kir1

  • 1Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koc University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey.

Trends in Molecular Medicine
|November 1, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Researchers discovered two RNA-based skeletal muscle subtypes in cancer cachexia. One subtype involves significant weight loss, muscle atrophy, and shortened survival, with disrupted gene networks offering potential therapeutic targets.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Genomics
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Cancer cachexia is a complex metabolic syndrome characterized by involuntary weight loss and muscle wasting.
  • Understanding the molecular underpinnings of cachexia subtypes is crucial for developing targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify distinct skeletal muscle subtypes in cancer cachexia based on RNA expression profiles.
  • To elucidate the molecular pathways and regulatory networks associated with these subtypes.

Main Methods:

  • RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of skeletal muscle tissue from cancer cachexia patients.
  • Bioinformatic analysis to identify differentially expressed genes and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs).
  • Network analysis to map dysregulated biological pathways.

Main Results:

  • Two distinct RNAome-based skeletal muscle subtypes were identified in cancer cachexia.
  • One subtype is characterized by severe weight loss, muscle fiber atrophy, and reduced survival.
  • This subtype exhibits dysregulated post-transcriptional networks involving key long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and neuronal, immune, and metabolic pathways.

Conclusions:

  • The identified subtypes provide a more nuanced understanding of cancer cachexia heterogeneity.
  • Hub lncRNAs and associated pathways represent potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for intervention in cancer cachexia.
Keywords:
RNAomecancer cachexiaskeletal muscle

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