Abstract 449P
Background
The novel m6A modulator protein leucine-rich pentatricopeptide repeat-containing (LRPPRC) has been found to play multiple roles in physiological processes, such as mitochondrial gene translation, cell cycle progression, and tumorigenesis. However, its specific involvement in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is poorly understood. This study aims to identify LRPPRC signatures in OSCC and their association with patients prognosis.
Methods
Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot analyses were performed to identify LRPPRC expression in 50 pairs of OSCC and adjacent normal tissues. The study also investigated the correlation between LRPPRC expression and clinicopathological features, including tumor stage, grade, metastasis, and prognosis. Additionally, the research explored associations with immune-related gene expression and the LRPPRC interaction network to gain insight into its functions.
Results
Our RT-qPCR and western blot analyses confirmed that LRPPRC expression was significantly higher in OSCC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. Importantly, we found that elevated LRPPRC expression was negatively associated with overall survival rates and clinicopathological features. Furthermore, LRPPRC was strongly linked to immune-related gene expression, and functional network analysis suggested its crucial role in cancer development.
Conclusions
Our findings strongly suggest that LRPPRC may function as an oncogene by maintaining m6A methylation and regulating immune genes. Importantly, our research indicates that LRPPRC could be a powerful predictive marker for patient prognosis in OSCC. However, further research is necessary to investigate the crucial mechanisms of LRPPRC in OSCC development and progression.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
This work was supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research (Grant no: DHR-GIA, 2020–9530), Government of India.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.