Open Access

Exploration of the role of EMC3‑AS1 as a potential diagnostic and prognostic indicator in liver cancer

  • Authors:
    • Bo Liu
    • Xia Yuan
    • Ke Dong
    • Jie Zhang
    • Tingting Fu
    • Chengyou Du
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: June 28, 2024     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2024.14545
  • Article Number: 412
  • Copyright: © Liu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic significance of the long non‑coding RNA (lncRNA) endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein complex subunit 3 antisense RNA 1 (EMC3‑AS1) in liver cancer, and its impact on the proliferative and invasive capabilities of liver cancer cells. EMC3‑AS1 expression in liver cancer was assessed using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and three Gene Expression Omnibus datasets, and validated in clinical liver cancer samples using reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. The prognostic and diagnostic potentials of this lncRNA were evaluated using Kaplan‑Meier and receiver operating characteristic analyses, respectively. The infiltration of immune cells and differential expression of immune checkpoints (ICs) between high‑ and low‑EMC3‑AS1 expression groups were investigated. Therapeutic correlation analyses were also undertaken to assess the impact of EMC3‑AS1 in the treatment of liver cancer. In addition, in vitro experiments were conducted using small interfering RNA to knock down the expression of EMC3‑AS1 in HepG2, Sk‑Hep‑1 and Huh‑7 cells, and evaluate the effect on cell proliferation, colony formation and migration. The results revealed a significant upregulation of EMC3‑AS1 expression in liver cancer tissues compared with that in adjacent normal tissues, which was associated with an unfavorable prognosis and demonstrated diagnostic effectiveness for patients with liver cancer. Furthermore, patients with high EMC3‑AS1 expression exhibited increased levels of IC markers in comparison with those with low EMC3‑AS1 expression. In addition, EMC3‑AS1 was indicated to have clinical significance in the prediction of the response to immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Notably, the in vitro experiments demonstrated that the knockdown of EMC3‑AS1 significantly hindered cell proliferation, colony formation and migration. Consequently, it was concluded that EMC3‑AS1 is upregulated in liver cancer and serves as a prognostic indicator for unfavorable outcomes in patients with liver cancer. Additionally, targeting EMC3‑AS1 through knockdown interventions showed potential in mitigating the ability of liver cancer cells to proliferate and migrate, which highlights its dual role as a biomarker and therapeutic target for liver cancer.
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September-2024
Volume 28 Issue 3

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Liu B, Yuan X, Dong K, Zhang J, Fu T and Du C: Exploration of the role of <em>EMC3‑AS1</em> as a potential diagnostic and prognostic indicator in liver cancer. Oncol Lett 28: 412, 2024.
APA
Liu, B., Yuan, X., Dong, K., Zhang, J., Fu, T., & Du, C. (2024). Exploration of the role of <em>EMC3‑AS1</em> as a potential diagnostic and prognostic indicator in liver cancer. Oncology Letters, 28, 412. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2024.14545
MLA
Liu, B., Yuan, X., Dong, K., Zhang, J., Fu, T., Du, C."Exploration of the role of <em>EMC3‑AS1</em> as a potential diagnostic and prognostic indicator in liver cancer". Oncology Letters 28.3 (2024): 412.
Chicago
Liu, B., Yuan, X., Dong, K., Zhang, J., Fu, T., Du, C."Exploration of the role of <em>EMC3‑AS1</em> as a potential diagnostic and prognostic indicator in liver cancer". Oncology Letters 28, no. 3 (2024): 412. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2024.14545