Transcript PHF19-207 May Be a Long Non-Coding RNA with Tumor-Promoting Role in Colon Cancer

TL;DR

This study explores PHF19-207, a long non-coding RNA linked to colon cancer, and suggests it may act as a tumor promoter and potential diagnostic biomarker.

Contribution

The study identifies PHF19-207 as a novel long non-coding RNA with tumor-promoting potential in colon cancer.

Findings

PHF19-207 expression is elevated in colon cancer cell lines compared to non-malignant cells.

PHF19-207 is detected in exosomes from malignant cells, suggesting potential diagnostic utility.

In silico analysis suggests PHF19-207 may regulate gene expression as a long non-coding RNA.

Abstract

Recent pan-cancer transcriptome analysis has revealed differential activity of two alternative PHF19 gene promoters in malignant versus non-malignant gut mucosa. One of these promoters upregulated in colon cancer leads to the expression of the PHF19-207 transcript, suggesting its potential role in tumor promotion. The objective of this study was to investigate the function of PHF19-207 using in silico tools and publicly available data, as well as to assess its expression in colon cancer. Expression analyses were conducted via qPCR and RNA sequencing on RNA extracted from the immortalized colonic epithelial cell line HCEC-1CT, as well as a series of colon cancer cell lines cultured in both 2D and 3D environments. The expression of PHF19-207 was found to be elevated in all malignant cell lines compared to the non-malignant HCEC-1CT cell line in both culture conditions, with the most prominent increase observed in cell lines derived from advanced stages of the disease and in the HCEC-1CT cell line overexpressing KRAS. Furthermore, the PHF19-207 transcript was detected in exosomes derived from malignant cells. These findings suggest that PHF19-207 holds potential as a diagnostic biomarker. In addition, in silico analyses indicate that this transcript may function as a long non-coding RNA involved in the regulation of gene expression. Further functional investigations are required to elucidate its precise role in colon carcinogenesis.

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