LncRNA Co-expression Network Analysis Reveals Novel Biomarkers For Melanoma

The lncRNA copy number variation(CNV)represents one of the important mechanisms for abolishing lncRNA expression,which may play a key role in tumorigenesis.In this way,lncRNA copy number alterations can reveal the developmental stage of cancer and serve as a biomarker for patient prognosis,but this possibility has rarely been studied.The high mortality and low survival rates of melanoma are mainly due to delays in diagnosis and treatment.Therefore,there is an urgent need to identify early melanoma biomarkers and new therapeutic targets.In this study,we applied commonly used biological methods,weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA),and lncRNA expression data to evaluate the potential for identification of such biomarkers.Eleven lncRNAs,namely LINC01238,BASP1-AS1,LOC100506098,LINC-PINT,LOC100506585,RNF139-AS1,MALAT1,PCED1B-AS1,LINC02384,ARHGAP27P1 and LINC01532 were identified and validated as based on independent melanoma expression datasets.In addition,we characterized these lncRNAs by functional and pathway enrichment analysis and determined which lncRNAs exhibited differential expression,differential promoter methylation levels and copy number alterations between normal and melanoma samples.Finally,we performed a survival analysis and identified 4 lncRNAs,BASP1-AS1,LOC100506098,ARHGAP27P1,and LINC01532,as prognostic biomarkers for melanoma.Therefore,our results provide new potential diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for melanoma that warrant further study.In addition,the identification of these lncRNAs canenhance the understanding of the pathogenesis of melanoma molecules.