Identifying KRT20 as a Potential Key Gene in Lymphatic Metastasis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was the seventh most common cancer worldwide in 2018. Lymphatic metastasis (LM) is closely related to HNSCC prognosis and recurrence. However, the underlying mechanism of LM remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the key gen...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2022-07-01
|
| Series: | Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/15330338221107710 |
| _version_ | 1818529944344461312 |
|---|---|
| author | Yi-Fan Zhang PhD, MD Qiang Huang PhD, MD Hui-Ying Huang PhD, MD Heng-Lei Ren PhD, MD Liang Zhou PhD, MD |
| author_facet | Yi-Fan Zhang PhD, MD Qiang Huang PhD, MD Hui-Ying Huang PhD, MD Heng-Lei Ren PhD, MD Liang Zhou PhD, MD |
| author_sort | Yi-Fan Zhang PhD, MD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was the seventh most common cancer worldwide in 2018. Lymphatic metastasis (LM) is closely related to HNSCC prognosis and recurrence. However, the underlying mechanism of LM remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the key genes in the LM of HNSCC. Methods: We used The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between LM and non-LM cases. A random forest model, the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes, Cytoscape, and cytoHubba were used to identify hub genes among DEGs, including KRT20 (Cytokeratins 20). We analyzed the survival of KRT20 in TCGA, and we overexpressed KRT20 in HNSCC cell lines to investigate its effects on migration and invasion. We also correlated the expression of KRT20 in HNSCC tissue microarrays with survival and clinicopathological features. Results: We identified 243 DEGs—143 upregulated genes and 100 downregulated genes. Further analysis revealed that KRT20 is a potential key gene associated with LM and overall survival rates among patients with HNSCC. Overexpression of KRT20 increased the migration and invasion ability of HNSCC cell lines Tu686 and FD-LSC-1. Tissue microarray studies demonstrated an overexpression of KRT20 among N1+ patients (including N1-N3 patients). Survival analysis results and the clinicopathological features of HNSCC tissue microarrays were consistent with our analysis of TCGA. Thus, a high KRT20 expression level might suggest an adverse HNSCC prognosis. Our gene set enrichment analysis showed that KRT20 participates in many metabolic pathways, including those related to tumorigenesis and cancer development. Conclusions: We propose that KRT20 may be a key gene in HNSCC with LM. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T17:13:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-35bc33e4c71147208309e4fe043cfd38 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1533-0338 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T17:13:27Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment |
| spelling | doaj.art-35bc33e4c71147208309e4fe043cfd382022-12-22T00:57:26ZengSAGE PublishingTechnology in Cancer Research & Treatment1533-03382022-07-012110.1177/15330338221107710Identifying KRT20 as a Potential Key Gene in Lymphatic Metastasis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell CarcinomaYi-Fan Zhang PhD, MDQiang Huang PhD, MDHui-Ying Huang PhD, MDHeng-Lei Ren PhD, MDLiang Zhou PhD, MDBackground: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was the seventh most common cancer worldwide in 2018. Lymphatic metastasis (LM) is closely related to HNSCC prognosis and recurrence. However, the underlying mechanism of LM remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the key genes in the LM of HNSCC. Methods: We used The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between LM and non-LM cases. A random forest model, the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes, Cytoscape, and cytoHubba were used to identify hub genes among DEGs, including KRT20 (Cytokeratins 20). We analyzed the survival of KRT20 in TCGA, and we overexpressed KRT20 in HNSCC cell lines to investigate its effects on migration and invasion. We also correlated the expression of KRT20 in HNSCC tissue microarrays with survival and clinicopathological features. Results: We identified 243 DEGs—143 upregulated genes and 100 downregulated genes. Further analysis revealed that KRT20 is a potential key gene associated with LM and overall survival rates among patients with HNSCC. Overexpression of KRT20 increased the migration and invasion ability of HNSCC cell lines Tu686 and FD-LSC-1. Tissue microarray studies demonstrated an overexpression of KRT20 among N1+ patients (including N1-N3 patients). Survival analysis results and the clinicopathological features of HNSCC tissue microarrays were consistent with our analysis of TCGA. Thus, a high KRT20 expression level might suggest an adverse HNSCC prognosis. Our gene set enrichment analysis showed that KRT20 participates in many metabolic pathways, including those related to tumorigenesis and cancer development. Conclusions: We propose that KRT20 may be a key gene in HNSCC with LM.https://doi.org/10.1177/15330338221107710 |
| spellingShingle | Yi-Fan Zhang PhD, MD Qiang Huang PhD, MD Hui-Ying Huang PhD, MD Heng-Lei Ren PhD, MD Liang Zhou PhD, MD Identifying KRT20 as a Potential Key Gene in Lymphatic Metastasis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment |
| title | Identifying KRT20 as a Potential Key Gene in Lymphatic Metastasis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma |
| title_full | Identifying KRT20 as a Potential Key Gene in Lymphatic Metastasis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma |
| title_fullStr | Identifying KRT20 as a Potential Key Gene in Lymphatic Metastasis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identifying KRT20 as a Potential Key Gene in Lymphatic Metastasis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma |
| title_short | Identifying KRT20 as a Potential Key Gene in Lymphatic Metastasis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma |
| title_sort | identifying krt20 as a potential key gene in lymphatic metastasis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/15330338221107710 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yifanzhangphdmd identifyingkrt20asapotentialkeygeneinlymphaticmetastasisofheadandnecksquamouscellcarcinoma AT qianghuangphdmd identifyingkrt20asapotentialkeygeneinlymphaticmetastasisofheadandnecksquamouscellcarcinoma AT huiyinghuangphdmd identifyingkrt20asapotentialkeygeneinlymphaticmetastasisofheadandnecksquamouscellcarcinoma AT hengleirenphdmd identifyingkrt20asapotentialkeygeneinlymphaticmetastasisofheadandnecksquamouscellcarcinoma AT liangzhouphdmd identifyingkrt20asapotentialkeygeneinlymphaticmetastasisofheadandnecksquamouscellcarcinoma |