Downregulated NORAD in neuroblastoma promotes cell proliferation via chromosomal instability and predicts poor prognosis

Running title: NORAD in NB progression and prognosis prediction

  • Yongbo Yu Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health (NCCH), Beijing 100045, China https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2717-4073
  • Feng Chen Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health (NCCH), Beijing 100045, China
  • Yaqiong Jin Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health (NCCH), Beijing 100045, China https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9318-6531
  • Yeran Yang Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health (NCCH), Beijing 100045, China
  • Shengcai Wang Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health (NCCH), Beijing 100045, China
  • Jie Zhang Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health (NCCH), Beijing 100045, China
  • Chenghao Chen Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health (NCCH), Beijing 100045, China
  • Qi Zeng Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health (NCCH), Beijing 100045, China
  • Wei Han Department of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health (NCCH), Beijing 100045, China
  • Huanmin Wang Department of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health (NCCH), Beijing 100045, China
  • Yongli Guo Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health (NCCH), Beijing 100045, China
  • Xin Ni Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health (NCCH), Beijing 100045, China; 2Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health (NCCH), Beijing 100045, China https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2717-4073

Abstract

Increasing evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in neuroblastoma (NB) pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to elucidate the roles and underlying mechanism of non-coding RNA activated by DNA damage (NORAD) in childhood NB. Both public data and clinical specimens were used to determine NORAD expression. Colony formation, cell proliferation and wound healing assays were performed to evaluate NORAD effects on proliferation and migration of SH-SY5Y and SK-N-BE(2) cells. Flow cytometry was used to examine the cell cycle changes. The expression of genes and proteins involved in chromosomal instability was determined by qRT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. Our results showed that low NORAD expression correlated with advanced tumor stage, high risk and MYCN amplification in both public data and clinical samples. Kaplan–Meier analysis indicated that patients with low NORAD expression had poor survival outcomes. Functional research showed that NORAD knockdown promoted cell proliferation and migration, and arrested the cell cycle at the G2/M phase. Moreover, the expression of the DNA damage sensor, PARP1, increased after NORAD knockdown, indicating a potential contribution of NORAD to DNA damage repair. NORAD silencing also affected the expression of genes and proteins related to sister chromatid cohesion and segregation, which are involved in chromosomal instability and consequent aneuploidy. These results suggest that NORAD may serve as a tumor suppressor in NB pathogenesis and progression. Thus, NORAD is a potential therapeutic target and a promising prognostic marker for NB patients.

Published
2020-12-16
Section
Articles