Comprehensive Analysis of Survival-Related lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs Forming a Competing Endogenous RNA Network in Gastric Cancer

To analyze and construct a survival-related endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network in gastric cancer (GC) with lymph node metastasis, we obtained expression profiles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), mRNAs, and microRNAs (miRNAs) in GC from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The edgeR package was used to screen differentially expressed lncRNAs, mRNAs, and miRNAs between GC patients with lymphatic metastasis and those without lymphatic metastasis. Then, we used univariate Cox regression analysis to identify survival-related differentially expressed RNAs. In addition, we used multivariate Cox regression analysis to screen lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs for use in the prognostic prediction models. The results showed that 2,247 lncRNAs, 155 miRNAs, and 1,253 mRNAs were differentially expressed between the two patient groups. Using univariate Cox regression analysis, we found that 395 lncRNAs, eight miRNAs, and 180 mRNAs were significantly related to the survival time of GC patients. We next created a survival-related network consisting of 59 lncRNAs, seven miRNAs, and 36 mRNAs. In addition, we identified eight RNAs associated with prognosis by multivariate Cox regression analysis, comprising three lncRNAs (AC094104.2, AC010457.1, and AC091832.1), two miRNAs (miR-653-5p and miR-3923), and three mRNAs (C5orf46, EPHA8, and HPR); these were used to construct the prognostic prediction models, and their risk scores could be used to assess GC patients’ prognosis. In conclusion, this study provides new insights into ceRNA networks in GC and the screening of prognostic biomarkers for GC.