Identification of most representative hub-genes for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapies of hepatocellular carcinoma

Md Alim Hossen ¹, Md Selim Reza ², Md Masud Rana ³

⁰State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China; The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.

Chinese Clinical Oncology +

|

July 10, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Identifying top-ranked hub genes (tHubGs) aids early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosis and targeted therapies. These key genes offer potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for improved HCC patient outcomes.

Area Of Science

Oncology
Genomics
Bioinformatics

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide.
Early diagnosis and improved therapies are crucial for reducing HCC-related deaths.
Hub differentially expressed genes (HubGs) show promise as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic targets.

Purpose Of The Study

To identify top-ranked hub genes (tHubGs) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy.
To analyze the functions, pathways, and regulators of these tHubGs.
To identify potential therapeutic agents for HCC treatment.

Main Methods

Systematic literature review to identify 202 HCC-related HubGs from 59 studies.
Integrated bioinformatics analysis, including protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and survival analysis, to identify tHubGs.
Enrichment analyses, gene regulatory network analysis, and drug-target interaction analysis.

Main Results

Eight tHubGs (CDK1, AURKA, CDC20, CCNB2, TOP2A, PLK1, BUB1B, BIRC5) were identified.
Differential expression of these tHubGs in HCC stages was validated using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.
Key transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) regulating tHubGs were identified, and three candidate drugs (CD437, avrainvillamide, LRRK2-IN-1) were selected for HCC treatment.

Conclusions

The identified tHubGs serve as valuable resources for early HCC diagnosis.
These tHubGs and their regulators offer potential for prognostic assessment and targeted HCC therapies.
The study provides a foundation for developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for HCC.

Keywords:

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) drug repurposing hub-genes molecular docking (MD)