Comprehensive analysis based in silico study of organophosphate flame retardants - environmental explanation of...

Brominated flame retardants are associated with increased toxicity and high concerns for environmental pollution. Therefore, organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) are considered safer alternatives and are widely used in building materials and electronics. This study aimed to determine whether organophosphate flame retardants are implicated in bladder cancer development and progression. Data of interactive genes associated with OPFRs was obtained from the CTD database (http://ctdbase.org/) in July 2021. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed that organophosphate flame retardants were closely linked to bladder cancer. Furthermore, the immune-related genes showed a strong correlation with bladder cancer. Further analysis revealed that the immune-related genes were associated with the prognosis, clinical characteristics, and response to immunotherapies in bladder cancer. In conclusion, OPFRs and their metabolites could promote the progression of bladder cancer by affecting the expression of immune genes.