PAN-CANCER GENOMIC PROFILING IDENTIFIES NOVEL BREAST CANCER TARGETS AMONG LONG NON-CODING RNAS

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women, representing a significant health challenge as a quarter of patients eventually succumb to the disease. The identification of novel therapeutic targets is thus critical to improve patient outcomes and survival rates. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as significant contributors to tumor progression and therapeutic response; however, the full scope of their roles as a molecular class in cancer remains largely unexplored. Therefore, investigating the potential of lncRNAs as therapeutic targets represents a promising and under-utilized approach for developing more effective strategies for the treatment of breast and other cancers. This work investigates the common and distinct functions of lncRNAs across various levels of cancer specificity. Within triple-negative breast cancer, lncRNA PART1 was found to play a role in promoting the proliferation and migration of cancer cells through interactions with microRNAs. Exploring the clinical associations of lncRNAs across different breast cancer subtypes revealed their contribution to the distinct molecular, prognostic and cellular characteristics of each subtype, and led to the characterization of novel lncRNAs AL078604.2 and LINC01269. Additionally, a pan-cancer analysis encompassing 17 cancer types identified lncRNAs with broad functional effects, including LINC01929, which may mediate immunosuppression in breast cancer. Collectively, these investigations deepen our understanding of lncRNAs in breast cancer and highlight their potential as therapeutic targets to enhance the treatment of this disease.