Identification and validation of autophagy-related lncRNA prognostic signature for breast cancer
Abstract Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as crucial regulators to the development of breast cancer and are involved in controlling autophagy. LncRNAs are also widely known as valuable prognostic factors for breast cancer patients. It is critical to identify autophagy-related lncRNAs with prognostic value in breast cancer. Methods: A coexpression network of autophagy-related mRNAs-lncRNAs from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was constructed. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to identify an autophagy risk model with prognostic value. Kaplan-Meier analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox regressionanalyses and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed to validate the risk model. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) functional annotation were conducted to analyze the risk model.Results: In this study, autophagy-related lncRNAs in breast cancer were identified. We evaluated the prognostic value of these autophagy-related lncRNAs and eventually obtained a prognostic risk model consisting of 11 autophagy-related lncRNAs (U62317.4, LINC01016, LINC02166, C6orf99, LINC00992, BAIAP2-DT, AC245297.3, AC090912.1, Z68871.1, LINC00578 and LINC01871). The risk model was further verified as a novel independent prognostic factor for breast cancer patients based on the calculated risk score. Moreover, based on the risk model, the low risk and high risk groups displayed different autophagy and oncogenic statues. Conclusions: These findings suggested that the risk model of the 11 autophagy-related lncRNAs has significant prognostic value for breast cancer and might be a promising prognostic signature and therapeutic targets in clinical practice.