Abstract 2411: The role of A-to-I RNA editing in human cancer

Abstract

Abstract Recent studies show that A-to-I RNA editing introduces a large number of specific nucleotide changes in cancer transcriptomes. Using the genomic/transcriptomic data from The Cancer Genome Atlas, we systematically characterized the landscape of RNA editing in a variety of cancer types and revealed many sites with clinically relevant patterns. We further integrated proteomic data from the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium and found that mutations and RNA editing introduced similar numbers of amino acids changes per tumor sample in breast and ovarian cancers. The amino acid changes engendered by these RNA editing events may significantly alter protein stability. Some of the identified RNA editing events show critical consequent changes driving tumor growth and altering therapeutic activity. We also identified the RNA editing hotspots in miRNAs across cancer types, and some of RNA editing events modify the miRNA target genes. They could function as potential therapeutic targets and therapeutics. Our study suggests a large contribution of A-to-I RNA editing to protein diversity and gene regulation, and highlights its translational potential as both biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Citation Format: Han Liang. The role of A-to-I RNA editing in human cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2411. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2411