Prognostic impact of anoikis-related genes in low-grade glioma: A bioinformatics and experimental study

BackgroundLow-grade glioma (LGG) is a common central nervous system tumor with high recurrence rates and limited long-term survival improvements despite current treatments. Anoikis, a form of programmed cell death triggered by detachment from the extracellular matrix, plays a key role in tumor progression and metastasis. However, its involvement in LGG remains poorly understood.ObjectiveThis study aims to analyze the molecular features, subgrouping, and clinical prognostic significance of disruption-induced anoikis in low-grade glioma using bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation.MethodsWe integrated transcriptome and clinical information data from the TCGA and CGGA databases. We identified prognosis-related genes associated with disruption-induced anoikis and glioma through analysis of the anoikis gene set. Survival prognosis analysis was performed on these genes. Furthermore, dimensional reduction clustering and enriched analysis of GO/KEGG were conducted to explore the biological functions and signal pathways of disruption-induced anoikis genes in glioma. Drug sensitivity screening and immune-related function analysis were also carried out.ResultsOur bioinformatics analysis identified 266 anoikis genes, including BRMS1, NTRK2, CAV1, AKT1, and ITGB1, which significantly influenced overall survival in low-grade glioma patients. Clustering analysis revealed three distinct clusters, with cluster C having the worst prognosis. The anoikis genes were associated with metabolic pathways, immune cells, and cell cycle-related pathways. Enriched analysis showed immune-related functions and signaling pathways. Drug sensitivity screening identified potential drugs with clinical efficacy, such as cisplatin, doxorubicin, erlotinib, and etoposide. A prognostic model was constructed for anoikis-related genes, showing significant survival differences. Immune checkpoint analysis indicated sensitivity to immunotherapy. Experimental validation confirmed the downregulation of prognosis-related risk genes for anoikis in human glioma cell lines, inhibiting cell anoikis.ConclusionThis study provides insights into the molecular characteristics and clinical importance of disruption-induced anoikis in low-grade glioma. The findings contribute to the understanding of glioma progression and offer potential therapeutic targets.