Bioinformatics-driven Identification of lncRNA LINC02381 in Mediating Cisplatin Resistance via IL-12 Induced Wnt/TCF7 Signaling in Ovarian Cancer

Zeinab Karbalaei  Pazoki; Mostafa  Hosseini; Shiva  Irani; Bahram Mohammad  Soltani

doi:10.18502/ijaai.v23i6.17382

Zeinab Karbalaei Pazoki Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Mostafa Hosseini Chemical Injuries Research Center, System Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Shiva Irani Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Bahram Mohammad Soltani Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijaai.v23i6.17382

Keywords: Cisplatin resistance; IL12; LINC02381; TCF7; Ovarian cancer; Wnt signaling

Abstract

Cisplatin resistance presents a considerable hurdle in the treatment of ovarian cancer, significantly impacting patient outcomes and limiting the effectiveness of chemotherapy. This study employs advanced bioinformatics techniques-including RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), DNA sequencing (DNA-seq), and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq)-to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying this resistance, with a particular focus on the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LINC02381.

Our findings reveal that LINC02381 is significantly upregulated in ovarian cancer cells exhibiting resistance to cisplatin, suggesting its pivotal role in mediating this phenomenon. We further demonstrate that cytokines, particularly interleukin-12 (IL-12), secreted by immune cells within the tumor microenvironment, activate the Wnt signaling pathway. This activation leads to the binding of the transcription factor TCF7 to the promoter region of LINC02381, resulting in enhanced expression of this lncRNA.

Notably, this interaction establishes a positive feedback loop in which LINC02381 not only promotes its own expression but also amplifies Wnt signaling activity. This cascade ultimately drives the upregulation of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, which are crucial for the efflux of cisplatin from cancer cells. Thus, the drug's intracellular concentration is reduced, and cell survival under chemotherapy pressure is facilitated. These insights uncover a novel mechanism of cisplatin resistance driven by the IL-12/Wnt/TCF7/LINC02381 axis, highlighting the complex interplay between immune signaling and drug resistance in ovarian cancer.

Our findings suggest that targeting this regulatory pathway may offer promising therapeutic strategies to overcome chemotherapy resistance, paving the way for improved treatment outcomes in patients with ovarian cancer. Future research should focus on validating these mechanisms and exploring potential interventions that disrupt this feedback loop.