Abstract
PURPOSE: Let-7, a family of microRNA (miRNA) that regulates the timing of cell division, is associated with tumorigenesis and tumor progression. The factors that regulate let-7 and affect the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) warrant further investigation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study, we first utilized the data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and employed bioinformatics methods to analyze the expression and function of let-7 in HCC. Subsequently, we retrieved the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that regulate let-7 from the StarBase database. Finally, through bioinformatics analysis of the TCGA-LIHC data and validation with clinical samples, we explored the relationship between let-7 and its related lncRNAs and clinical indicators such as HCC recurrence and survival. RESULTS: Let-7c was significantly downregulated in HCC, regulating tumor progression via pathways like PI3K-Akt and tumor-related miRNAs. LncRNAs SNHG16 negatively regulated let-7c expression in HCC (r = -0.160, p = 0.002). Both bioinformatics analysis and clinical sample validation revealed that high SNHG16 expression in HCC tissues was associated with shorter disease-free survival (HR = 1.711, 95% CI: 1.144-2.559, p = 0.009), higher recurrence rates (p < 0.001), and shorter overall survival (HR = 1.837, 95% CI: 1.283-2.629, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: SNHG16 negatively regulates let-7c and serves as a prognostic biomarker for HCC recurrence and survival.