Upregulation of long noncoding RNA LEF1-AS1 predicts a poor prognosis in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

M.-Z. Zong, W.-T. Feng, N. Du, X.-J. Yu, W.-Y. Yu

Department of Oncology, the Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, Jiangsu, China. yyyy99898@163.com

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• Oncology

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have suggested that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in various tumors. The present research was designed to examine the prognostic values of a newly identified lncRNA, lncRNA LEF1-AS1 (LEF1-AS1), in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
PATIENTS AND METHODS: The relative levels of LEF1-AS1 in ESCC tissues and normal esophageal tissues were examined by applying quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The relations between LEF1-AS1 expressions and clinical factors were analyzed by conducting the Chi-square test. The Kaplan-Meier assay was used for assays of the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) dates. Univariate and multivariate analyses were applied for the identification of the independent prognostic factors for ESCC.
RESULTS: We showed that LEF1-AS1 was distinctly upregulated in ESCC tissues compared with the matched normal tissues (p < 0.01). Higher levels of LEF1-AS1 were associated with lymph nodes metastasis (p = 0.009) and clinical stage (p = 0.008). Clinical investigation revealed that ESCC patients with high LEF1-AS1 level showed a significant shorter 5-year OS (p = 0.0028) and DFS (p = 0.0025). Multivariate analyses confirmed LEF1-AS1 as an independent prognostic parameter indicating unfavorable clinical prognosis for ESCC patients.
CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggested that LEF1-AS1 could be a novel ESCC-related lncRNA involved in the clinical progression of ESCC, which may be used as a potential predictor.

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