Long non-coding RNAs harboring miRNA seed regions are enriched in prostate cancer exosomes.
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) form the largest transcript class in the human transcriptome. These lncRNA are expressed not only in the cells, but they are also present in the cell-derived extracellular vesicles such as exosomes. The function of these lncRNAs in cancer biology is not entirely clear, but they appear to be modulators of gene expression. In this study, we characterize the expression of lncRNAs in several prostate cancer exosomes and their parental cell lines. We show that certain lncRNAs are enriched in cancer exosomes with the overall expression signatures varying across cell lines. These exosomal lncRNAs are themselves enriched for miRNA seeds with a preference for let-7 family members as well as miR-17, miR-18a, miR-20a, miR-93 and miR-106b. The enrichment of miRNA seed regions in exosomal lncRNAs is matched with a concomitant high expression of the same miRNA. In addition, the exosomal lncRNAs also showed an over representation of RNA binding protein binding motifs. The two most common motifs belonged to ELAVL1 and RBMX. Given the enrichment of miRNA and RBP sites on exosomal lncRNAs, their interplay may suggest a possible function in prostate cancer carcinogenesis.
Centre for Human Centred Technology Design, University of Technology, Sydney.|Centre for Health Technologies, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology, Sydney.
Alireza
A
Ahadi
School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology, Sydney.
Samuel
S
Brennan
Centre for Health Technologies, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology, Sydney.|Centre for Quantum Computation and Intelligent Systems, University of Technology, Sydney.
Paul J
PJ
Kennedy
Centre for Health Technologies, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology, Sydney.
Gyorgy
G
Hutvagner
Centre for Health Technologies, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology, Sydney.|The Sydney Head and Neck Cancer Institute, Sydney Cancer Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Australia.
Nham
N
Tran
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D055354:Exosomes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics*
D035683:MicroRNAs; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding