Discovery of core genes and intercellular communication role in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is a primary malignant bone tumor that affects children and young adults. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying osteosarcoma is critical to develop effective treatments. This study aimed to identify core genes and explore the role of intercellular communication in osteosarcoma. We used GSE87437 and GSE152048 dataset to conduct a weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and identify co-expression modules. The enriched biological processes and cellular components of the genes in the steelblue module were analyzed. Next, we explored the expression, diagnostic value, correlation, and association with immune infiltrate of CCSER1 and LOC101929154. Finally, we utilized CIBERSORT algorithm to predict the infiltrated immune cells in osteosarcoma tissues. Our results identified 44 co-expression modules, and the steelblue module was mainly associated with axon development, axonogenesis, and innervation. CCSER1 and LOC101929154 were significantly upregulated in osteosarcoma tissues with poor response to preoperative chemotherapy. Moreover, the expressions of CCSER1 and LOC101929154 were positively correlated. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of CCSER1 and LOC101929154 was 0.800 and 0.773, respectively. The expression of CCSER1 was negatively correlated with follicular helper T cells and positively correlated with M0 macrophages, while LOC101929154 was negatively correlated with activated mast cells. Besides, CD4 memory-activated T cells were observed at lower levels in patients who responded well to chemotherapy. Our study identified core genes CCSER1 and LOC101929154 and provided insight into the intercellular communication profile in osteosarcoma. Our results suggested that targeting CCSER1, LOC101929154, and CD4 memory-activated T cells may be a promising strategy for the treatment of osteosarcoma.