{"title":"Identification of Potential Molecular Mechanisms and Prognostic Markers for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Bioinformatics Analysis.","authors":"Suthipong Chujan, Nakarin Kitkumthorn, Jutamaad Satayavivad","doi":"10.4103/jispcd.JISPCD_15_23","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims and objectives: </strong>The goal of this study was to uncover crucial biochemical pathways, prognostic indicators, and therapeutic targets in patients with oral cancer in order to enhance therapy strategies.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Five gene expression omnibus datasets were analyzed by using bioinformatics approaches to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). To determine biological alterations, gene ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analyses were implied using the identified DEGs. Hub genes were determined using protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and an interactome was constructed using NetworkAnalyst. Furthermore, five hub genes were evaluated for use as prognostic markers by using the human protein atlas (HPA) and the GEPIA2.0 database. In addition, the correlations between hub-gene expression and immune cell infiltration of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tumors were analyzed using the tWumor immune estimation resource (TIMER) database.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 2071 upregulated genes and 1893 downregulated genes were identified. GO and pathway analysis showed DEGs were enriched in multiple immune response terms and interaction of inflammatory cytokines. From the PPI network, five hub genes were identified that have a crucial role in OSCC. These included interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4), chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7), TNF receptor superfamily member 17 (TNFRSF17), CD27, and sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 4 (S1PR4), which were predicted to be favorable prognostic markers for OSCC using HPA. Overall survival analysis revealed that low expression of the five hub genes was significantly associated with worse overall survival. Our analysis of tumor-associated immune infiltration revealed that increased IRF4 expression was positively correlated with the gene expression profiles suggestive of infiltration of all immune cell types, whereas increased CCR7 expression was negatively correlated with neutrophil infiltration. Increased expression of CD27, S1PR4, and TNFRSF17 was found to be negatively correlated with dendritic cell, M0 macrophage, and neutrophil infiltration.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In summary, inflammation, and the immune response play an important role in OSCC. All five hub genes were good predictors of OSCC prognosis, suggesting that they could be used as potential therapeutic targets and tumor markers.</p>","PeriodicalId":47247,"journal":{"name":"Journal of International Society of Preventive and Community Dentistry","volume":"13 3","pages":"237-246"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4000,"publicationDate":"2023-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/c8/ee/JISPCD-13-237.PMC10411293.pdf","citationCount":"1","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of International Society of Preventive and Community Dentistry","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.4103/jispcd.JISPCD_15_23","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"DENTISTRY, ORAL SURGERY & MEDICINE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 1
Abstract
Aims and objectives: The goal of this study was to uncover crucial biochemical pathways, prognostic indicators, and therapeutic targets in patients with oral cancer in order to enhance therapy strategies.
Materials and methods: Five gene expression omnibus datasets were analyzed by using bioinformatics approaches to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). To determine biological alterations, gene ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analyses were implied using the identified DEGs. Hub genes were determined using protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and an interactome was constructed using NetworkAnalyst. Furthermore, five hub genes were evaluated for use as prognostic markers by using the human protein atlas (HPA) and the GEPIA2.0 database. In addition, the correlations between hub-gene expression and immune cell infiltration of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tumors were analyzed using the tWumor immune estimation resource (TIMER) database.
Results: A total of 2071 upregulated genes and 1893 downregulated genes were identified. GO and pathway analysis showed DEGs were enriched in multiple immune response terms and interaction of inflammatory cytokines. From the PPI network, five hub genes were identified that have a crucial role in OSCC. These included interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4), chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7), TNF receptor superfamily member 17 (TNFRSF17), CD27, and sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 4 (S1PR4), which were predicted to be favorable prognostic markers for OSCC using HPA. Overall survival analysis revealed that low expression of the five hub genes was significantly associated with worse overall survival. Our analysis of tumor-associated immune infiltration revealed that increased IRF4 expression was positively correlated with the gene expression profiles suggestive of infiltration of all immune cell types, whereas increased CCR7 expression was negatively correlated with neutrophil infiltration. Increased expression of CD27, S1PR4, and TNFRSF17 was found to be negatively correlated with dendritic cell, M0 macrophage, and neutrophil infiltration.
Conclusion: In summary, inflammation, and the immune response play an important role in OSCC. All five hub genes were good predictors of OSCC prognosis, suggesting that they could be used as potential therapeutic targets and tumor markers.
期刊介绍:
It is a journal aimed for research, scientific facts and details covering all specialties of dentistry with a good determination for exploring and sharing the knowledge in the medical and dental fraternity. The scope is therefore huge covering almost all streams of dentistry - starting from original studies, systematic reviews, narrative reviews, very unique case reports. Journal scope is not limited to these subjects and is more wider covering all specialities of dentistry follows: -Preventive and Community dentistry (Dental public health)- Endodontics- Oral and maxillofacial pathology- Oral and maxillofacial radiology- Oral and maxillofacial surgery (also called oral surgery)- Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics- Periodontology (also called periodontics)- Pediatric dentistry (also called pedodontics)- Prosthodontics (also called prosthetic dentistry)- Oral medicine- Special needs dentistry (also called special care dentistry)- Oral Biology- Forensic odontology- Geriatric dentistry or Geriodontics- Preventive and Social Medicine (Public health)- Our journal appreciates research articles pertaining with advancement of dentistry, preventive and community dentistry including oral epidemiology, oral health services research, oral health education and promotion, behavioral sciences related to dentistry, dental jurisprudence, ethics and oral health, economics, and quality assessment, recent advances in preventive dentistry and community dentistry.