Lnc_CXADR/miR-421/ATG7 as promising biomarkers relevant to hepatocellular carcinoma

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a diverse class of non-protein coding RNA molecules. They have gained significant attention as key regulators of gene expression, contributing to the complex molecular landscape of cancer. There has been a growing concern about ncRNAs' diagnostic and prognostic potential as biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and their therapeutic implications in HCC treatment. This study focuses on elucidating the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs); being two of the major classes of ncRNAs that are suggested to play essential roles in the initiation and progression of HCC. In silico analysis was used to retrieve biomarkers associated with HCC. We used public microarray databases to explore ncRNAs relevant to HCC; has-mir-421 and lncRNA-CXADR were chosen. Their relative expression and ATG7 as an autophagy marker were evaluated by Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) in 3 patient groups: HCC, patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV), and a control group. Findings revealed that has-mir-421, Lnc_CXADR, and ATG7 expression in the HCC group was significantly elevated than in HCV and control groups (P < 0.01). Furthermore, a strong significant positive correlation existed between has-mir-421, Lnc_CXADR, and ATG7 expression (p < 0.01). This positive correlation indicates that Lnc_CXADR may upregulate the expression of miRNA421, triggering upregulation of ATG7 expression in HCC, which may have an oncogenic role in HCC pathogenesis. Lnc_CXADR/miRNA421/ATG7 may play promising roles in HCC diagnosis and prognosis as new serum biomarkers. • Bioinformatics revealed that Lnc_CXADRL has-mir-421, potentially targets autophagy-related gene7 (ATG7). • has-mir-421, Lnc_CXADR, and ATG7 expression was upregulated in the HCC serum samples. • Lnc_CXADR, miRNA421 and ATG7 expression was directly correlated with in HCC serum samples. • Lnc_CXADR/miRNA421/ATG7 may play promising roles in HCC diagnosis and prognosis as new serum biomarkers.