Construction of a ceRNA network reveals potential lncRNA biomarkers in rectal adenocarcinoma

Competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) render the functions of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) more complicated during cancer processes. Potential lncRNA biomarkers and their roles as ceRNAs have not been clearly described for rectal adenocarcinoma (READ). In the present study, we extracted data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) including data from 167 tumor samples and 10 adjacent non-tumor samples. A total of 202 lncRNAs, 190 microRNAs (miRNAs) and 1,530 mRNAs were identified as READ-specific RNAs [log(2)(fold-change)>2, FDR<0.01]. The Gene Ontology (GO) biological processes and the Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were analysed for 1,530 specific mRNAs. Among 202 READ-specific lncRNAs, 7 lncRNAs were identified as being associated with overall survival of READ patients. Then, a ceRNA network was constructed with 34 key lncRNAs, 25 miRNAs and 65 mRNAs. A total of 7 lncRNAs from the network were revealed to be linked to clinical features. The results of qRT-PCR ascertained that our analysis was credible. Overall, this research provides a novel perspective from which to study the lncRNA-related ceRNA network in READ and assists in the identification of new potential biomarkers to be used for diagnostic and prognostic purposes.