Pathways enrichment analysis for differentially expressed genes in squamous lung cancer

Squamous lung cancer (SQLC) is a common type of lung cancer, but its oncogenesis mechanism is not so clear. The aim of this study was to screen the potential pathways changed in SQLC and elucidate the mechanism of it. Published microarray data of GSE3268 series was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Significance analysis of microarrays was performed using software R, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were harvested. The functions and pathways of DEGs were mapped in Gene Otology and KEGG pathway database, respectively. A total of 2961 genes were filtered as DEGs between normal and SQLC cells. Cell cycle and metabolism were the mainly changed functions of SQLC cells. Meanwhile genes such as MCM, RFC, FEN1, and POLD may induce SQLC through DNA replication pathway, and genes such as PTTG1, CCNB1, CDC6, and PCNA may be involved in SQLC through cell cycle pathway. It is demonstrated that pathway analysis is useful in the identification of target genes in SQLC.