Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis reveals key hub genes linked to prognosis in multiple myeloma with drug

Xi-Tian Chen1, Yi-Peng Wu2, Yong-Qing Li1

  • 1Department of Hematology, Jieyang People's Hospital, Jieyang, China.

Medicine
|March 11, 2025
PubMed

Insights

This study identifies key genes, including AURKA and DLGAP5, linked to drug resistance in multiple myeloma (MM). These genes indicate poor prognosis and may serve as therapeutic targets for this incurable cancer.

Area of Science:

  • Hematologic Malignancies
  • Cancer Genomics
  • Drug Resistance Mechanisms

Background:

  • Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable hematologic malignancy primarily treated with chemotherapy.
  • Drug resistance is a significant challenge in MM treatment, necessitating the identification of novel therapeutic targets.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify therapeutic targets associated with drug resistance in MM.
  • To assess the prognostic significance of identified therapeutic targets in MM patients.

Main Methods:

  • Differential gene expression analysis of MM datasets (GSE82307, GSE146649, GSE136725) using R packages.
  • Functional enrichment, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, and module identification using Cytoscape.
  • Validation of gene expression and prognostic relevance in MM patient cohorts (GSE136725, MMRF CoMMpass).

Main Results:

  • Identified 4623 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between drug-sensitive and resistant MM.
  • Robust rank aggregation highlighted top upregulated genes, with AURKA, DLGAP5, BUB1B, and KIF20A showing high expression in drug-resistant MM.
  • These four genes were significantly associated with poor prognosis in MM patients.

Conclusions:

  • AURKA, DLGAP5, BUB1B, and KIF20A are potential biomarkers for drug resistance and recurrence in multiple myeloma.
  • These genes represent promising therapeutic targets for overcoming drug resistance in MM.
  • Further research is warranted to explore the molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential of these identified genes.