Abstract
Background Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is one of the most common types of lung carcinoma and has specific clinicopathologic characteristics. In this study, we screened novel molecular biomarkers relevant to the prognosis of LUSC to explore new diagnostic and treatment approaches for this disease. Methods We downloaded GSE73402 from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. GSE73402 contains 62 samples, which could be classified as four subtypes according to their pathology and stages. Via weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), the main module was identified and was further analyzed using differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis. Then, by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), hub genes were screened for potential biomarkers of LUSC. Results Via WGCNA, the yellow module containing 349 genes was identified, and it is strongly related to the subtype of CIS (carcinoma in situ). DEGs analysis detected 180 genes that expressed differentially between the subtype of CIS and subtype of early-stage carcinoma (Stage I and Stage II). A PPI network of DEGs was constructed, and the top 20 genes with the highest correlations were selected for GEPIA database to explore their effect on LUSC survival prognosis. Finally, ITGA5, TUBB3, SCNN1B, and SERPINE1 were screened as hub genes in LUSC. Conclusions ITGA5, TUBB3, SCNN1B, and SERPINE1 may have great diagnostic and prognostic significance for LUSC and have great potential to be new treatment targets for LUSC.
Highlights
Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths around the world; its morbidity ranks first around all cancer types
Surgery and chemoradiotherapy remain the main treatment of lung cancer in the past several decades, while with the development of genomics, large amounts of molecular biomarkers participating in the tumorigenesis, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance have been detected [7]
Analysis of GSE73402 in our study shows that SERPINE1 mRNA expression is elevated in invasive lung squamous carcinoma compared with carcinoma in situ
Summary
Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths around the world; its morbidity ranks first around all cancer types. The pathogenesis of LUSC is complicated and is involved in large numbers of molecular and cellular events, but the majority of these events still remain to be explored [3, 4]. These reasons cause unsatisfactory treatment outcomes in LUSC, leading to the median survival approximately 30% inferior to the other lung cancer types [1, 5, 6]. By protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), hub genes were screened for potential biomarkers of LUSC. ITGA5, TUBB3, SCNN1B, and SERPINE1 may have great diagnostic and prognostic significance for LUSC and have great potential to be new treatment targets for LUSC
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