基于加权共表达网络分析对下咽癌枢纽基因HOXB9的鉴定

Identification of the hypopharyngeal cancer hub gene HOXB9 based on weighted co-expression network analysis

目的:探讨基于加权共表达网络分析,用免疫组织化学法对其结果进行验证,分析枢纽基因HOXB9在下咽癌中的作用。方法:根据TCGA的数据,确定了3496个头颈鳞状细胞癌(HNSCC)和正常样本之间差异表达的基因;选择这些差异基因进行富集分析及加权基因共表达网络分析(WGCNA)确定HNSCC患者临床特征相关的基因模块;随后对其中的枢纽模块进行预后生存分析发现关键基因;对关键基因进行免疫组织验证。结果:数据分析得出肿瘤中的差异表达基因及关键基因模块;关键模块基因的预后生存分析发现11个关键基因;通过免疫组化验证HOXB9,证实HOXB9在下咽癌中表达水平明显上调(P<0.05)。结论:HOXB9在下咽癌肿瘤中明显高表达,且可能与肿瘤分期及淋巴结转移相关,这可能成为下咽癌潜在的预后标志物及治疗靶点。

Objective:To explore the role of the pivotal gene HOXB9 in hypopharyngeal carcinoma based on weighted co-expression network analysis and validation of the results by immunohistochemistry.Methods:3,496 genes that were expressed differently between head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC)and normal samples were found using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA).These differentially expressed genes were chosen for enrichment analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA),which aimed to identify gene modules associated with clinical features of HNSCC patients.Additionally,prognostic survival analysis of the pivotal modules identified important genes,and immunohistochemical validation was carried out on the identified key genes.Results:11 essential genes were found using predictive survival analysis of key module genes,and data analysis revealed differentially expressed genes and key gene modules in malignancies.Immunohistochemistry validation of HOXB9 revealed a substantial upregulation of HOXB9 in hypopharyngeal cancer(P<0.05).Conclusion:HOXB9 is significantly overexpressed in hypopharyngeal cancer tumors,and its high expression is significantly correlated with tumor stage and lymph node metastasis,which may be a potential prognostic and therapeutic target for hypopharyngeal cancer.