Investigation of key genes associated with prostate cancer using RNA-seq data

We aimed to identify key genes associated with prostate cancer using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data. RNA-seq data, including 1 cancer sample and 1 adjacent normal sample, were downloaded from the NCBI SRA database and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified with the software Cufflinks. Functional enrichment analysis was performed to uncover the biological functions of DEGs. Regulatory information was retrieved from the IPA database and a network was established. A total of 147 DEGs were obtained, including 96 downregulated and 51 upregulated DEGs. Gene ontology (GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis suggested that metabolism and signal transduction were the 2 major functions that were significantly influenced. Moreover, an interaction network was built. In conclusion, a number of DEGs was identified and their roles in the pathogenesis of cancer were supported by previous studies. More studies are necessary to further validate their usefulness in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.