Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine (May 2023)
Exploration and Validation of Pancreatic Cancer Hub Genes Based on Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis and Immune Infiltration Score Analysis
Abstract
Xiao-Xi Li,1,* Hong Li,2,* Li-Quan Jin,3 Yun-Bo Tan1,3 1Dali University of Clinical Medicine School, Dali, Yunnan, 671000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Radiology, Affiliated Renhe Hospital of China Three Gorges University, Hubei, 443001, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of General Surgery, The First of Affiliated Hospital of Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, 671000, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yun-Bo Tan, Department of General Surgery, the First of Affiliated Hospital of Dali University, No. 32 of Carlsberg Road, Dali, Yunnan, 671000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 15517162885, Email [email protected]: To find pancreatic cancer (PC)-related hub genes based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) construction and immune infiltration score analysis and validate them immunohistochemically by clinical cases, to generate new concepts or therapeutic targets for the early diagnosis and treatment of PC.Material and Methods: In this study, WGCNA and immune infiltration score were utilized to identify the relevant core modules of PC and the hub genes within these core modules.Results: Using WGCNA analysis, data from PC and normal pancreas integrated with TCGA and GTEX were analyzed and brown modules were chosen from the six modules. Five hub genes, including DPYD, FXYD6, MAP6, FAM110B, and ANK2, were discovered to have differential survival significance via validation tests utilizing survival analysis curves and the GEPIA database. The DPYD gene was the only gene associated with PC survival side effects. Validation of the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database and immunohistochemical testing of clinical samples showed positive results for DPYD expression in PC.Conclusion: In this study, we identified DPYD, FXYD6, MAP6, FAM110B, and ANK2, as immune-related candidate markers for PC. Only the DPYD gene had a negative impact on the survival of PC patients. Through validation of the HPA database and immunohistochemical testing of clinical cases, we believe that the DPYD gene brings novel ideas and therapeutic targets in the diagnosis and treatment of PC.Keywords: DPYD, pancreatic cancer, tumor immunity, WGCNA
