Expression patterns of PIK3CA and PTEN in cancer and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cancer share key metabolic and molecular pathways, including the PI3K/PTEN/AKT signaling cascade, which plays a central role in glucose metabolism and cell proliferation. This study aimed to evaluate the expression levels of PIK3CA and PTEN genes in individuals with cancer and T2DM, to explore their potential role in cancer progression among diabetic patients. A total of 115 individuals were categorized into four groups: healthy controls (C, n = 27), patients with T2DM (SD, n = 30), cancer patients (Ca, n = 28), and patients with both cancer and diabetes (CD, n = 30). Gene expression was analyzed by real-time PCR, and biochemical parameters were assessed. Statistical analysis included the Kruskal–Wallis and Spearman correlation tests. The expression of the PIK3CA gene was significantly higher in the Ca group compared to the other groups (p = 0.0435), with 77 % of cancer patients exhibiting overexpression. In contrast, only 37 % of CD patients showed PIK3CA overexpression. The expression of the PTEN gene was significantly lower in the SD and CD groups compared to the Ca group (p < 0.05). No significant differences in PIK3CA expression were observed among different cancer types. These findings suggest that PIK3CA and PTEN may serve as potential peripheral indicators of systemic alterations in the PI3K/PTEN pathway in cancer and T2DM, highlighting the need for further research, including tissue validation and biomarker performance assessment.