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Analyzing Tumor Gene Expression Factors with the CorExplorer Web Portal
Published on: October 11, 2019
NEK Family Review and Correlations with Patient Survival Outcomes in Various Cancer Types
Khoa Nguyen1, Julia Boehling1, Minh N Tran1
1Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
Abstract:
The Never in Mitosis Gene A (NIMA)-related kinases (NEKs) are a group of serine/threonine kinases that are involved in a wide array of cellular processes including cell cycle regulation, DNA damage repair response (DDR), apoptosis, and microtubule organization. Recent studies have identified the involvement of NEK family members in various diseases such as autoimmune disorders, malignancies, and developmental defects. Despite the existing literature exemplifying the importance of the NEK family of kinases, this family of protein kinases remains understudied. This report seeks to provide a foundation for investigating the role of different NEKs in malignancies. We do this by evaluating the 11 NEK family kinase gene expression associations with patients' overall survival (OS) from various cancers using the Kaplan-Meier Online Tool (KMPlotter) to correlate the relationship between mRNA expression of NEK1-11 in various cancers and patient survival. Furthermore, we use the Catalog of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC) database to identify NEK family mutations in cancers of different tissues. Overall, the data suggest that the NEK family has varying associations with patient survival in different cancers with tumor-suppressive and tumor-promoting effects being tissue-dependent.
Insights
The Never in Mitosis Gene A (NIMA)-related kinases (NEKs) play varied roles in cancer. This study links NEK gene expression and mutations to patient survival, revealing tissue-specific tumor-suppressive and promoting effects.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
- Genetics
Background:
- Never in Mitosis Gene A (NIMA)-related kinases (NEKs) are serine/threonine kinases crucial for cell cycle, DNA damage repair, apoptosis, and microtubule organization.
- NEK family members are implicated in autoimmune disorders, malignancies, and developmental defects, yet remain understudied in cancer.
- Understanding NEK roles in cancer is vital for developing targeted therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between NEK family gene expression and overall patient survival (OS) across various cancers.
- To identify NEK family gene mutations in different cancer types.
- To provide a foundation for future research on NEKs in oncogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Kaplan-Meier Online Tool (KMPlotter) to analyze mRNA expression of NEK1-11 and its correlation with patient survival in diverse cancer types.
- Employed the Catalog of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC) database to identify NEK family mutations.
- Correlated gene expression and mutation data with patient outcomes.
Main Results:
- NEK family gene expression shows variable associations with patient survival across different cancers.
- Specific NEKs exhibit both tumor-suppressive and tumor-promoting effects, which are highly tissue-dependent.
- Identified NEK family mutations in various cancer tissues, suggesting their involvement in cancer development.
Conclusions:
- The NEK kinase family has complex, context-dependent roles in human malignancies.
- NEK expression levels and mutations are significant prognostic indicators in certain cancers.
- Further research into specific NEKs is warranted to elucidate their precise functions in tumorigenesis and identify therapeutic targets.
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