Integration of scRNA-seq and scATAC-seq revealed the role of lncRNA <i>RP11-661C8.2</i> by promoting EMT in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

However, most of the previously discovered lncRNAs that promote or inhibit tumor progression were derived from bulk RNA-seq results. Data from single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-cell assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (scATAC-seq) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) were integrated to precisely identify the lncRNAs that regulate tumor progression in ccRCC.

The scRNA-seq data of 23 ccRCC samples and the scATAC-seq data of 19 samples were analysed, capturing the transcriptome of 121,106 cells an<a href="" target="_blank">d the </a>epigenetic features of 61,693 cells, respectively. Results showed that lncRNA <i>RP11-661C8.2</i> was associated with significant chromatin accessibility in ccRCC tumor cells by scATAC-seq. Subsequently, integrated scRNA-seq analysis and functional experiments <i>in vitro and in vivo</i> confirmed the role of <i>RP11-661C8.2</i> in promoting the invasion, migration and <a href="" target="_blank">epithelial-mesenchymal transition</a> (EMT) of ccRCC cells.