Visual gene-network analysis reveals the cancer gene co-expression in human endometrial cancer

BMC Genomics

Chun-Yu Chuang²  Marco Brotto¹  An-Lin Cheng¹  Wei-Chun Chou² 

[1] Muscle Biology Research Group-MUBIG, Schools of Nursing & Health Studies, University of Missouri Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA;Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan

关键词: Hub gene, TCA cycle;    WGCNA, Network analysis;    Endometrial cancer;   

Others  :  1217435
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2164-15-300

 received in 2013-11-04, accepted in 2014-04-04,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Endometrial cancers (ECs) are the most common form of gynecologic malignancy. Recent studies have reported that ECs reveal distinct markers for molecular pathogenesis, which in turn is linked to the various histological types of ECs. To understand further the molecular events contributing to ECs and endometrial tumorigenesis in general, a more precise identification of cancer-associated molecules and signaling networks would be useful for the detection and monitoring of malignancy, improving clinical cancer therapy, and personalization of treatments.

Results

ECs-specific gene co-expression networks were constructed by differential expression analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Important pathways and putative cancer hub genes contribution to tumorigenesis of ECs were identified. An elastic-net regularized classification model was built using the cancer hub gene signatures to predict the phenotypic characteristics of ECs. The 19 cancer hub gene signatures had high predictive power to distinguish among three key principal features of ECs: grade, type, and stage. Intriguingly, these hub gene networks seem to contribute to ECs progression and malignancy via cell-cycle regulation, antigen processing and the citric acid (TCA) cycle.

Conclusions

The results of this study provide a powerful biomarker discovery platform to better understand the progression of ECs and to uncover potential therapeutic targets in the treatment of ECs. This information might lead to improved monitoring of ECs and resulting improvement of treatment of ECs, the 4^th most common of cancer in women.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Chou et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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