Investigation of Long Non-coding RNAs H19 and LINC00675 in Colorectal Cancers in Terms of Histopathological Features and Correlations With Plasma Markers

Abstract

Background/Aim: Functional and bioinformatic studies provide strong evidence that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can alter the molecular mechanisms of cancer through their interactions with DNA, RNAs, and proteins. This study aimed to evaluate the role of H19 and LINC00675 lncRNAs in colorectal cancers (CRCs) in terms of clinicopathological features. Materials and Methods: Tumor and tumor-free surrounding tissue samples were obtained from 51 CRC cases. Total RNA isolation and cDNA synthesis were performed. qPCR was performed using the TaqMan non-coding lncRNA assay specific for H19 and LINC00675. Preoperative levels of plasma markers, lncRNA expression, and clinicopathological characteristics of the cases were evaluated statistically. Results: Expression of H19 in tumor tissue was found to be 2.11 times higher than that of tumor-free surrounding tissue (p<0.001). LINC00675 levels were found to be approximately three times higher in colon tumors than tumors with rectal involvement (p=0.019). There was a correlation between H19 expression and creatinine (r=0.408; p=0.003). In addition, correlations were detected between LINC00675 with albumin (r=0.303; p=0.03), and between LINC00675 with globulin (r=0.332; p=0.02). Conclusion: H19 is a candidate biomarker that can be evaluated in terms of prognosis and antineoplastic treatment response, while LINC00675 may be an important marker of the microenvironment of advanced stage tumors, especially in tumors with rectal involvement.