Identification of SERPINE1, PLAU and ACTA1 as biomarkers of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma based on integrated bioinformatics analysis

作者：Ke Yang, Shizhou Zhang, Dongsheng Zhang, Qian Tao, Tianqi Zhang, Guijun Liu, Xingguang Liu, Tengda Zhao · 发表于：International Journal of Clinical Oncology · 年份：2019 · DOI：10.1007/s10147-019-01435-9 · 被引用次数：85 · 研究领域：Head and Neck Cancer Studies、Ferroptosis and cancer prognosis、Bioinformatics and Genomic Networks

BACKGROUND: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the six leading cancer by incidence worldwide. The 5-year survival rate of HNSCC patients remains less than 65% due to lack of symptoms in the early stage. Hence, biomarkers which can improve detection of HNSCC should improve clinical outcome. METHODS: Gene expression profiles (GSE6631, GSE58911) and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) HNSCC data were used for integrated bioinformatics analysis; the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were then subjected to functional and pathway enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction. Subsequently, module analysis of the PPI network was performed and overall survival (OS) analysis of hub genes in subnetwork was studied. Finally, immunohistochemistry was used to verify the selected markers. RESULTS: A total of 52 up-regulated and 80 down-regulated DEGs were identified, which were mainly associated with ECM-receptor interaction and focal adhesion signaling pathways. Importantly, a set of prognostic signatures including SERPINE1, PLAU and ACTA1 were screened from DEGs, which could predict OS in HNSCC patients from TCGA cohort. Experiment of clinical samples further successfully validated that these three signature genes were aberrantly expressed in the oral epithelial dysplasia and HNSCC, and correlated with aggressiveness of HNSCC patients. CONCLUSIONS: SERPINE1, PLAU and ACTA1 played important roles in regulating the initiation and progression of HN...