Anovel immune-related lncRNA as a prognostic biomarker in HER2+ breast cancer

Sep 21, 2026

HER2+ breast cancer shows high malignancy and unfavorable outcomes, and tumor-associated immune activity is increasingly linked to prognosis. This study identified immune-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that can support diagnosis and predict patient outcomes in this subtype. Using TCGA and ImmPort, differential expression and immune gene correlation analyses were performed. ROC evaluation highlighted diagnostic lncRNAs, and CTC-537E7.2 correlated with survival, clinical features, immune cell infiltration, and Jak-STAT pathway involvement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

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Introduction

Background and clinical relevance

Long non-coding RNAs and immune involvement

Abstract

Study aim and data sources

Analytical workflow and diagnostic evaluation

Key findings and validation

ONCOLOGY LETTERS 27: 269, 2024 Anovel immune‑related lncRNA as a prognostic biomarker in HER2+ breast cancer XINWEI LI 1,2* , YUE MENG2* and BING GU 1,2 1Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences); 2Department of Clinical Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China Received December 4, 2023; Accepted March 15, 2024 DOI: 10. 3892/ol.2024.14402 Abstract. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)+ breast cancer is characterized by high malignancy and poor prognosis. Long non‑coding (lnc)RNAs are crucial in breast cancer progression and prognosis, especially in tumor‑associated immune processes. The present study aimed to elucidate novel lncRNAs related to immune function that could serve as biomarkers for both diagnosis and prognosis of this cancer subtype. Using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and The Immunology Database and Analysis Portal, correlation analysis was performed to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs and immune‑related genes . Through receiver operating characteristic analysis, the diagnostic value of specific lncRNAs was identified and evaluated, with a focus on their capacity to distinguish between cancerous and non‑cancerous states. The present research revealed 22 differ‑ entially expressed lncRNAs and 23 differentially expressed Correspondence to: Professor Bing Gu, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, 106 Zhongshan Er Road, Yuexiu, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China E‑mail: [gubing@gdph.org.cn](gubing@gdph.org.cn) *Contributed equally Abbreviations: AUC, area under the curve; BP, Biological Process; CC, Cellular Component; CIBERSORT, Cell‑type Identification by Estimating Relative Subsets of RNA Transcripts; ER, estrogen receptor; FC, fold change; GO, Gene Ontology; HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; IL, interleukin; ISH, in situ hybridization; Jak‑STAT, Janus kinase‑signal transducer and activator of transcription; KEGG, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes; lncRNA, long non‑coding RNAs; miRNA, microRNA; MF, Molecular Function; OS, overall survival; PR, progesterone receptor; ROC, receiver operating characteristic; TCGA, The Cancer Genome Atlas; ImmPort, The Immunology Database and Analysis Portal; TGF‑β, transforming growth factor‑β Key words: HER2+ breast cancer, prognostic biomarker, lncRNA, TCGA, immune‑related predictor immune‑related genes, with 19 immune‑related lncRNAs . A total of 13 of these lncRNAs demonstrated diagnostic relevance. In particular, it was demonstrated that the expres‑ sion of lncRNA CTC‑537E7.2 was significantly correlated with patient survival, suggesting its potential as a prognostic marker. Additionally, the expression of lncRNA CTC‑537E7.2 was significantly correlated with clinical parameters, such as hormone receptor status and patient demographics. Moreover, it exhibited associations with four distinct immune cell types and demonstrated involvement in the Janus kinase‑signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway. Further assessment by in situ hybridization confirmed the increased expression of lncRNA CTC‑537E7.2 in samples from HER2+ patients, reinforcing its significance. In summary, the present study uncovered a novel prognostic biomarker for HER2+ breast cancer, thereby laying the groundwork for investigating the underlying molecular mechanisms driving the develop‑ ment of this subtype of breast cancer. Introduction Breast cancer remains a significant health issue among women. It is the most common malignancy and is as the second leading cause of cancer‑related deaths in this population (1) . Breast cancer is notably diverse, leading to its classification into four main molecular subtypes for clinical relevance: Luminal A, luminal B, h

FAQs

What is the study aimed at identifying for HER2+ breast cancer?

The study aims to elucidate novel immune-related lncRNAs that could serve as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in HER2+ breast cancer.

Which datasets were used to discover candidate immune-related lncRNAs?

The analysis used data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and The Immunology Database and Analysis Portal (ImmPort).

Why is lncRNA CTC-537E7.2 highlighted in the results?

lncRNA CTC-537E7.2 showed significant correlation with patient survival, clinical parameters, associations with immune cell types, involvement in the Jak-STAT pathway, and increased expression in HER2+ patient samples confirmed by in situ hybridization.

Sep 21, 2026

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