Deciphering the eRNA landscape and revealing target aberrant pathways in prostate cancer

Area of Science:

• Genomics and Molecular Biology
• Cancer Research
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) are emerging regulators of gene expression with potential implications for prostate cancer therapeutics.
• The comprehensive landscape and clinical significance of eRNAs in prostate cancer are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the genome-wide landscape of eRNA transcription in prostate cancer.
• To construct eRNA-centered regulatory networks and link eRNA-regulated genes to clinical outcomes.
• To validate the functional role of eRNAs and their target genes in prostate cancer progression.

Main Methods:

• Systematic integration of prostate cancer multi-omics and functional genomics datasets.
• Construction of eRNA-centered regulatory networks.
• siRNA-mediated knockdown and functional validation of eRNAs and target genes in prostate cancer cell lines.

Main Results:

• Identification of 13,595 eRNAs and 1,573 eRNA-regulated genes, including key regulatory factors.
• Development of a five-gene eRNA-associated signature that accurately predicts patient survival (AUCs 0.85-0.89).
• Functional validation confirmed that eRNA knockdown inhibits prostate cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.

Conclusions:

• eRNAs play a significant role in prostate cancer biology.
• eRNAs can serve as valuable biomarkers for prognosis and pathway characterization in prostate cancer.
• Targeting eRNAs may offer novel therapeutic strategies for prostate cancer.