Screening key candidate genes and pathways involved in insulinoma by microarray analysis

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Oncology
• Genomics

Background:

• Insulinoma is a rare tumor with largely unknown genetic features.
• Understanding its genetic underpinnings is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify potential key genes and enriched pathways in insulinoma.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms driving insulinoma development.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of gene expression data from GSE73338.
• Identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between tumor and normal tissues.
• Pathway enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction, and module analysis.
• Validation of candidate key genes using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Main Results:

• 1632 DEGs identified (1117 upregulated, 514 downregulated).
• Upregulated DEGs implicated in insulin secretion; downregulated DEGs in pancreatic secretion.
• Seven hub genes identified: GCG, GCGR, PLCB1, CASR, F2R, GRM1, and GRM5.
• Significant modules enriched in calcium signaling, protein ubiquitination, and platelet degranulation pathways.
• RT-PCR validated the expression trends of hub genes.

Conclusions:

• Identified DEGs and pathways represent critical molecular events in insulinoma development.
• Findings enhance the understanding of insulinoma genesis.
• Provides a foundation for future research into insulinoma molecular pathology.