Abstract
BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and fatal tumor in the central nervous system. Recent studies have found that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve as competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) and play an important role in GBM by regulating immune responses. The aim of the present study was to identify lncRNAs with immune relevance and functions in GBM. METHODS: We analyzed GBM datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to obtain 356 significantly differentially expressed lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs), 4,951 DE-mRNAs, and 34 DE-miRNAs in GBM, respectively. For mRNAs, 369 DE-mRNAs were identified as immune-related genes in the ImmPort database. For DE-lncRNAs, univariate analysis identified 39 DE-lncRNAs with prognostic significance, and 9 DE-lncRNAs were included in the ImmLnc database. Combined analysis was then conducted by integrating 9 immune-related DE-lncRNAs, 369 immune-related DE-mRNAs, and 34 DE-miRNAs. A ceRNA network composed of 2 upregulated lncRNAs (LINC01268 and CTB-31O20.2), 3 downregulated miRNAs, and 5 upregulated mRNAs was generated. RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that LINC01268 and CTB-31O20.2 serve as independent favorable prognostic markers in GBM. LINC01268 and CTB-31O20.2 overexpression was conducted in GBM cell U251. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), Transwell assay, and scratch healing assay indicated that LINC01268 and CTB-31O20.2 inhibit GBM cell line, U251, proliferation, invasion, and migration. CONCLUSIONS: LINC01268 and CTB-31O20.2 are independent prognostic immune-related markers, and reduce cancer cell proliferation and metastasis in GBM.