Identification of potential candidate genes for lip and oral cavity cancer using network analysis.

Sarmilah Mathavan,Suresh Kumar,Chin Siang Kue

doi:10.5808/gi.20062

Abstract

Lip and oral cavity cancer, which can occur in any part of the mouth, is the 11th most common type of cancer worldwide. The major obstacles to patients’ survival are the poor prognosis, lack of specific biomarkers, and expensive therapeutic alternatives. This study aimed to identify the main genes and pathways associated with lip and oral cavity carcinoma using network analysis and to analyze its molecular mechanism and prognostic significance further. In this study, 472 genes causing lip and oral cavity carcinoma were retrieved from the DisGeNET database. A protein-protein interaction network was developed for network analysis using the STRING database. VEGFA, IL6, MAPK3, INS, TNF, MAPK8, MMP9, CXCL8, EGF, and PTGS2 were recognized as network hub genes using the maximum clique centrality algorithm available in cytoHubba, and nine potential drug candidates (ranibizumab, siltuximab, sulindac, pomalidomide, dexrazoxane, endostatin, pamidronic acid, cetuximab, and apricoxib) for lip and oral cavity cancer were identified from the DGIdb database. Gene enrichment analysis was also performed to identify the gene ontology categorization of cellular components, biological processes, molecular functions, and biological pathways. The genes identified in this study could furnish a new understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis and provide more reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment of lip and oral cavity cancer.

Highlights

Human head and neck cancers begin in the mouth, nose, throat, larynx, sinuses, or salivary glands
472 genes associated with lip and oral cavity carcinoma (C0220641) were identified using the DisGeNET database (Supplementary Table 1)
A comprehensive perspective was provided by the bioinformatics analysis to understand the mechanism underlying lip and oral cavity carcinoma development

Summary

Introduction

Human head and neck cancers begin in the mouth, nose, throat, larynx, sinuses, or salivary glands. Lip and oral cancer is a subgroup of head and neck cancers that cause lip or oral carcinoma. The vast majority of these cancers (up to 85%–95%) are squamous cell carcinomas, often resulting from pre-existing precancerous lesions. Oral cancer stands out among head and neck tumors due to its frequent occurrence and mortality rate, as well as its common association with a late diagnosis [1]. Most oral carcinomas are squamous cell carcinomas of the tongue, buccal mucosa, or gums. Lip cancer is the most common tumor in the head and neck of the body, and constitutes 25%–30% of all mouth cancers [2]. Lip carcinomas are usually basal or squamous cell carcinomas [3].

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