Screening and identification of susceptibility genes for osteosarcoma based on bioinformatics analysis

Gene play an important role in malignant tumors. However, there is still insufficient research on genetic variations in osteosarcoma (OS) patients. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the gene expression profile of OS using bioinformatics and to explore the pathogenesis of OS at the molecular level.

The gene chip dataset of OS samples was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database for screening differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The R language clusterProfiler software package was used to perform Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis for DEGs. The central node proteins of the protein interaction network were analyzed by the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) database, Cytoscape, and its plug-ins cytoHubba and NetworkAnalyzer to find the key genes.

A total of 631 DEGs were obtained, including 362 upregulated genes and 269 downregulated genes. DEGs were mainly involved in the regulation of leukocyte chemotaxis and migration, vascular development, and other biological processes (BPs); mediation of receptor ligand activity, growth factor binding, growth factor activity, integrin binding, and other molecular functions (MFs); and were enriched in the extracellular matrix (ECM).

DEGs in the ECM and growth factors play a key role in the development of OS. The leukocyte transendothelial migration pathway and the PI3K-AKT pathway are closely related to OS, and the related molecular mechanism is worthy of further study.