KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The study aimed to identify and validate gene signatures for prognostic biomarkers in EAOC.
- Researchers noted that the new gene markers could provide prognostic insights and therapeutic targets for endometriosis-associated OC.
Growing evidence suggests that endometriosis (EMs) is a risk factor for endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer (EAOC).
Huilin Yang and the team aimed to identify and validate gene signatures associated with EMs that may serve as potential biomarkers for evaluating the prognosis of patients with EAOC.
They performed an inclusive analysis using data from GEO database for EMs and control samples. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was conducted to identify modular genes significantly associated with EMs. KEGG pathway and GO functional enrichment analyses were also performed.
Univariate Cox regression analysis was used to screen marker genes associated with the prognosis of patients with EAOC. Finally, RT-qPCR and immunohistochemical techniques were employed to validate the expression of ADAMTS19 and TUBB in normal ovarian and EAOC tissues. The biological functions of ADAMTS19 and TUBB were further explored through CCK8 and Transwell assays.
About 2 co-expression modules, comprising a total of 615 genes, were identified through WGCNA, and 7642 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected from the EAOC dataset. Intersection of the 615 modular genes with the 7642 DEGs revealed 214 shared genes. Univariate COX regression analysis highlighted 10 genes associated with the prognosis of EAOC.
Additionally, RT-qPCR and immunohistochemical staining experiments demonstrated that ADAMTS19 expression was elevated, while TUBB expression was reduced in EAOC compared with normal ovarian cells and tissues. Cell experiments further revealed that ADAMTS19 promoted proliferation and invasion in EAOC cells, whereas overexpression of TUBB inhibited these processes.
The study concluded that new endometriosis-associated gene markers were identified and validated, showing potential as prognostic biomarkers for assessing the risk in patients with EAOC. Additionally, some of these genes may serve as novel therapeutic targets, offering potential to guide future clinical applications.
This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Yunnan Revitalization Talent Support Program, the Science and Technology Innovation Team for Clinical and Basic Research on Ovarian Cancer of Kunming Medical University, the Kunming Medical University Joint Special Project – Key Project, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University External Collaborative Research Project.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39113897/
Yang H, Deng Y, Dong Y, et al. (2024). “Identification and Validation of Prognostic Markers for Endometriosis-Associated Ovarian Cancer.” Int J Med Sci. 2024 Jul 22;21(10):1903-1914. doi: 10.7150/ijms.97024. PMID: 39113897; PMCID: PMC11302560.
