基于TCGA数据库探索舌癌干细胞关键基因的表达及其意义

Exploration of the expression and significance of key genes in stem cells of tongue cancer based on TCGA database

目的通过生物信息学方法研究舌癌中干细胞相关的关键基因,并利用关键基因的生物学作用和功能富集初步探索舌癌干细胞关键基因的功能。方法舌癌RNA-seq数据和相关临床信息从癌症基因组图谱(TCGA)下载。利用R语言分析舌癌病例,WGCNA用于模块化差异基因。基于mRNAsi确定重要舌癌干性相关的模块和关键基因。对关键基因GO以及KEGG功能富集。结果在TCGA数据库中的差异表达分析显示,正常组织和舌癌组织的mRNAsi具有显著差异,舌癌组织明显要高于正常组织(P<0.05)。在生存分析中,观察到mRNAsi评分高的患者比mRNAsi评分低的患者总体生存更差(P<0.05)。基于mRNAsi确定了40个关键基因,GO以及KEGG功能富集发现关键基因都集中在细胞周期、范可尼贫血通路和Wnt通路,P<0.05,FDR<0.25。结论舌癌患者的mRNAsi高评分可能预示着预后不良,mRNAsi在舌癌的发生发展中起着重要的作用,并以此鉴定了40个舌癌干性相关的关键基因,这些基因有望成为舌癌治疗的靶点。

Objective To study the key genes related to tongue cancer stem cells by bioinformatics methods,and to preliminarily explore the function of key genes in tongue cancer stem cells by using biological function and functional enrichment of key genes.Methods RNA-seq data on tongue cancer and related clinical information were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA).The R language was used to analyze the cases of tongue cancer,and WGCNA was used to modularize differential genes.Important modules and key genes related to stemness of tongue carcinoma were identified based on mRNAsi.GO and KEGG functional enrichment for key genes was performed.Results Differential expression analysis in the TCGA database showed that there was significant difference in mRNAsi between the normal tissue and the tongue cancer tissue,and the mRNAsi of the tongue cancer tissue was significantly higher than that of the normal tissue(P<0.05).In the survival analysis,it was observed that patients with high mRNAsi scores had worse overall survival than patients with low mRNAsi scores(P<0.05).40 key genes were identified based on mRNAsi,and GO and KEGG functional enrichment showed that the key genes were concentrated in cell cycle,Fanconi anemia pathway and Wnt pathway(P<0.05,FDR<0.25).Conclusion High mRNAsi score in patients with tongue cancer may indicate poor prognosis,and mRNAsi plays an important role in the occurrence and development of tongue cancer.Based on mRNAsi,40 key genes related to the stemness of tongue cancer have been identified,and these genes are expected to become targets for tongue cancer treatment.