Analysis of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis signaling pathways based on gene expression patterns of nasopharyngeal carcinoma / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To pinpoint angiogenesis- and lymphangiogenesis-related genes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Based on the reported microarray data which identified 831 differentially expressed genes in NPC tissues and the latest genomic information, we selected 246 genes for analysis with the smallest differential expression threshold of 260. Gene function analysis and network construction was carried out based on literature mining for analysis of the signaling pathways related with angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis of NPC.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 246 genes were related with such keywords as nasopharyngeal carcinoma, EB virus, metastasis, angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and invasion. Particularly, we found that up to 52 genes were associated with angiogenesis (P=0.00001), and 19 genes form 12 related gene pairs (P=0.0042). Twenty-one lymphangiogenesis-related genes were identified (P=0.00001), and 6 of these genes formed a gene network (P=0.0226). Eight genes, including PTGS2, participated in the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway, which was closely related to angiogenesis in small cell lung cancer (P=7.87E-07). Five genes, including STAT1 and CXCL10, participated in toll-like receptor signaling pathway (P=0.00176).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PTGS2 and NF-κB promote angiogenesis of NPC, and the role of toll-like receptor signaling pathway in lymphangiogenesis warrants further investigation.</p>