ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to study the expression profile and potential function of circular RNA (circRNA) and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). METHODS: RNA sequencing technology was used to detect differentially expressed circRNAs and lncRNAs between TNBC tissues and the adjacent tissue. The potential functions of these different RNAs were analyzed by GO and KEGG enrichment analysis by bioinformatics tools. We also selected and analyzed these key circRNAs and lncRNAs to verify their important functions in TNBC. RESULTS: A total of 139 differentially expressed circRNAs and 1001 lncRNAs were obtained. The co-expression analysis showed that the hub lncRNAs (OIP5-AS1, DRAIC) were associated with several tumors and mainly enriched in tumor metastasis. We also screened 5 circRNA-hosting genes (NTRK2, FNTA, BAPGEF2, MGST2, ADH1B) that were associated with the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) receptor signaling pathway and cerebral cortex development, as well as AMPK and TGF-ß signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: We identified a large number of differentially expressed circRNAs and lncRNAs, which provide useful insight in understanding TNBC carcinogenesis.
