Abstract
Hypoxia‑related long non‑coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important indicators of the poor prognosis of cancers. The present study aimed to explore the potential relationship between melanoma and hypoxia‑related lncRNAs. The transcriptome and clinical data of patients with melanoma were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The prognostic hypoxia‑related lncRNAs were screened out using Pearson's correlation test and univariate Cox analysis. As a result, a hypoxia‑related‑lncRNA signature based on the expression of 7 lncRNAs was constructed, with one unfavourable [MIR205 host gene (MIR205HG)] and six favourable (T cell receptor β variable 11‑2, HLA‑DQB1 antisense RNA 1, AL365361.1, AC004847.1, ubiquitin specific peptidase 30 antisense RNA 1 and AC022706.1) lncRNAs as prognostic factors for melanoma. Patients with melanoma were divided into high‑ and low‑risk groups based on the risk score obtained. Survival analyses were performed to assess the prognostic value of the present risk model. Potential tumour‑associated biological pathways associated with the present signature were explored using gene set enrichment analysis. The CIBERSORT algorithm demonstrated the important role of the hypoxia‑related lncRNAs in regulating tumour‑infiltrating immune cells. Clinical samples collected from our center partly confirmed our findings. Cell Counting Kit‑8 and flow cytometry assays indicated the suppression of proliferation of melanoma cells following inhibition of MIR205HG expression. Indicators of the canonical Wnt/β‑catenin signalling pathway were detected by western blotting. The present study demonstrated that MIR205HG could promote melanoma cell proliferation partly via the canonical Wnt/β‑catenin signalling pathway. These findings indicated a 7‑hypoxia‑related‑lncRNA signature that can serve as a novel predictor of melanoma prognosis.