PARGP, a Specific Enhancer RNA Associated with Biochemical Recurrence of Prostate Cancer

Background: Enhancer RNA (eRNA) is a non-coding RNA transcribed by
enhancers and has a crucial role in controlling gene transcription. However,
the potential functions of eRNA in prostate cancer (PCa) are still not fully understood.

Methods:
Clinical information and expression data of eRNAs and their target genes for PCa
were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Each eRNA in PCa samples was divided into high- and low-expression
groups. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to identify the eRNAs significantly
associated with the overall survival of PCa. Their correlations with age,
prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and tumor stage were analyzed using Spearman
coefficients. Finally, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of
Genes and Genomes (KEEG) analyses were used to predict
the possible biological functions and pathways associated with eRNAs.

Results: We
identified 12 eRNAs associated with PCa survival, of which PARGP1 was the most
clinically significant. It was associated with biochemical recurrence in PCa patients
and was also a valuable complement to distinguish between PSA 0–4 ng/ml and 4–10
ng/ml. GO, and KEEG analysis showed that herpes simplex virus-1 infection was
the most biologically significant enriched process.

Conclusions: PARGP1 is associated with biochemical recurrence in
prostate cancer and contributes to assessing the outcome.