YRNA expression in prostate cancer patients: diagnostic and prognostic implications

To study the expression of YRNAs (Ro-associated Y), a novel class of non-coding RNAs, in prostate cancer (PCA) patients. The expression of all four YRNAs (RNY1, RNY3, RNY4, RNY5) was determined in archival PCA (prostate adenocarcinoma, n = 56), normal (n = 36) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH; n = 28) tissues using quantitative real-time PCR. Associations with clinicopathological parameters and prognostic role for biochemical recurrence-free survival were analysed. All YRNAs were significantly downregulated in PCA tissue compared to normal tissue (all YRNAs) and to BPH tissue (RNY4 and RNY5; RNY1 and RNY3 as trend). Among tumor ISUP grade groups, the most prominent differences in the expression were evident between groups 1 and 2 (RNY1, RNY3 und RNY4; all p < 0.05). Discrimination ability for normal/BPH tissue versus tumor tissue in ROC analysis (area under curve) was ranging from 0.658 (RNY1) to 0.739 (RNY4). Higher RNY5 expression was associated with poor prognosis (biochemical recurrence-free survival). The expression of YRNAs is altered in PCA and associated with poor prognosis (RNY5). Possible diagnostic role of YRNAs in prostate cancer should be investigated in further studies.