Lnc-SOX6-1 upregulation correlates with poor risk stratification and worse treatment outcomes, and promotes cell proliferation while inhibits apoptosis in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia.

Introduction: To investigate the correlation of long noncoding RNA-SOX6-1 (lnc-SOX6-1) with clinicopathological features and treatment outcomes in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, and further explore its function in AML cell proliferation and apoptosis.

Methods: A total of 146 de novo pediatric AML patients and 73 nonhematologic malignancy patients/donors were recruited. Bone marrow samples were obtained, followed by measurement of lnc-SOX6-1 expression by qPCR. Besides, lnc-SOX6-1 expression in various AML cells and control cells was detected. Blank overexpression (NC (+)), lnc-SOX6-1 overexpression (Lnc RNA (+)), blank shRNA (NC (-)), and lnc-SOX6-1 shRNA plasmids (Lnc RNA (-)) were transferred into KG-1 cells and THP-1 cells. Cell proliferation rate and cell apoptosis rate were detected by CCK-8 assay and AV/PI assay, respectively.

Results: Lnc-SOX6-1 expression was upregulated in pediatric AML patients compared to controls, and its high expression correlated with the presence of monosomal karyotype, severer risk stratification, lower possibility of complete response achievement, shorter event-free survival, and poor overall survival. Furthermore, lnc-SOX6-1 expression was elevated in various AML cells compared to normal cells. In KG-1 cells and THP-1 cells, cell proliferation rate was elevated in Lnc RNA (+) group but reduced in Lnc RNA (-) group at 48 and 72 hours, and cell apoptosis rate was decreased in Lnc RNA (+) group but increased in Lnc RNA (-) group at 72 hours compared to the corresponding control groups.

Conclusion: Lnc-SOX6-1 is highly expressed and correlates with worse risk stratification and poor treatment outcomes, and promotes cell proliferation while represses apoptosis in pediatric AML.