Unveiling Biomarkers in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma through Bioinformatics: The Role of SPP1 and KRT78

Jaehwan Cheon, Byoungjae Kim, Jaehyung Park, Jaemin Shin, Tae Hoon Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the most common form of head and neck cancer, ranking sixth in global cancer incidence. Identifying molecular drivers of tumorigenesis and metastasis is essential for early detection and treatment. This study analyzed gene expression profiles from three datasets (GSE6791, GSE29330, and GSE58911) to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in HNSCC. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses were employed to functionally annotate these DEGs. A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed for selecting hub genes using the STRING database. Finally, hub gene and protein expression levels were evaluated in patients with HNSCC, along with their association with overall survival. Our analysis identified twenty-eight co-DEGs comprising eight up-regulated and twenty down-regulated genes, primarily involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) organization, proteolysis, ECM disassembly, and keratinization processes. Furthermore, the PPI network revealed eight hub genes based on their high degree of connectivity. Notably, SPP1 demonstrated up-regulation, while KRT78 was down-regulated in HNSCC. Remarkably, the expression levels of these hub genes correlated with tumor grade, clinical cancer stage, and poor prognosis in HNSCC. Our findings hold significant clinical potential for early diagnosis and the development of novel therapeutic targets for patients with HNSCC.

Original languageEnglish
Article number12062
JournalInternational journal of molecular sciences
Volume25
Issue number22
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024 Nov

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.

Keywords

  • bioinformatics
  • biomarker
  • head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
  • KRT78
  • SPP1

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Catalysis
  • Molecular Biology
  • Spectroscopy
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry

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