Certain long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be differentially expressed in various human cancer types, including prostate cancer (PCa). PCa is the most commonly diagnosed cancer type in men and lacks sensitive and accurate biomarkers. Emerging studies have indicated that certain lncRNAs are dysregulated and have crucial roles in PCa progression. The present study reported that the novel lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 6 (SNHG6) is overexpressed in PCa compared with that in normal prostate tissues. In The Cancer Genome Atlas and Taylor datasets, high expression of SNHG6 in PCa tissues was identified to be significantly associated with shorter disease-free survival. In order to reveal the potential mechanisms of the role of SNHG6 in PCa, SNHG6-associated protein-protein interaction networks were constructed. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that these SNHG6-interacting genes were associated with translation, nuclear-transcribed mRNA catabolic process, ribosomal RNA processing and mRNA splicing. Although further functional validation is warranted, the present study suggests that SNHG6 is a potential novel therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker for PCa.
Keywords: Biomarker; Long non-coding RNA; Prostate cancer; Protein–protein interaction network; Small nucleolar RNA host gene 6.