Validating the role of PTGIS gene in colorectal cancer by bioinformatics analysis and in vitro experiments

Abstract

Prostaglandin I2 synthase (PTGIS) is a member of the cytochrome P450 family. Studies have revealed that differential expression of the PTGIS gene is closely related to the pathological and physiological processes of many diseases, including breast cancer, oral squamous cell carcinoma, and head and neck cancer. However, the mechanism of action of the PTGIS gene in colorectal cancer is not fully understood. This study explored the role of PTGIS in colorectal cancer through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis and in vitro experiments, and found that the expression of PTGIS gene in colorectal cancer tissue was significantly lower than that in normal colorectal tissue (P < 0.05), and high expression of PTGIS gene was associated with poor prognosis in patients (P < 0.05). The KEGG results showed that PTGIS-related genes were mainly enriched in metabolic pathways, arachidonic acid metabolism, steroid biosynthesis, and cancer pathways. The expression of PTGIS may be related to immune infiltration. Cell experiments showed that PTGIS was expressed at a lower level in cancer. Overexpression of PTGIS inhibited apoptosis and promoted proliferation, invasion, and migration ability of SW480 colorectal cancer cells. Analysis of the PTGIS gene in this study provides a theoretical basis for further exploring the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer and finding more accurate new targets for early screening and treatment of the cancer.