Increased KIF4A expression is a potential prognostic factor in prostate cancer

Explore Key Genes and Mechanisms Involved in Colon Cancer Progression Based on Bioinformatics Analysis

To explore underlying mechanisms related to the progression of colon cancer and identify hub genes associated with the prognosis of patients with colon cancer. GSE10950 and GSE62932 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. GEO2R was utilized to screen out the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were conducted on DEGs. Moreover, STRING and Cytoscape software were utilized for establishing the network of protein-protein interaction (PPI) and identifying hub genes. Afterward, data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was utilized for identifying prognosis-related hub genes by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Colon cancer cell line LOVO and human normal intestinal epithelial cell line NCM-460 were exploited to demonstrate the differential expression of selected hub genes through RT-qPCR and western blot. The LOVO cells were transfected to regulate expressions of prognosis-associated genes, followed by exploring the effects of those genes on prognosis by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and colony-forming assay for cancer cell proliferation, cell scratch test and transwell migration assay for cancer cell migration and Annexin V-PE/7-AAD double staining as well as flow cytometry for cancer cell apoptosis. In this study, 266 common DEGs were obtained from the intersection of two datasets. The GO analysis suggested the common DEGs mainly participated in the one-carbon metabolic process, cell cycle G2/M phase transition, organelle fission, cell cycle phase transition regulation, and regulation of mitotic cell cycle phase transition. The KEGG analysis demonstrated the common DEGs were related to the p53 signaling pathway, nitrogen metabolism, mineral absorption, and cell cycle. 10 hub genes including CCNB1, KIF4A, TPX2, MT1F, PRC1, PLK4, CALD1, MMP9, CLCA1, and MMP1 were identified and CCNB1, CLCA1, and PLK4 were prognosis-related. Increased expression of CCNB1, CLCA1, and PLK4 restrained proliferation as well as migration of cancer cells and induced apoptosis of cancer cells. CCNB1, KIF4A, TPX2, MT1F, PRC1, PLK4, CALD1, MMP9, CLCA1, and MMP1 were identified as hub genes and CCNB1, CLCA1, and PLK4 could inhibit the progression of colon cancer through inhibiting proliferation as well as migration of the cancer cell and promoting apoptosis of cancer cell.

Kinesin superfamily member KIFC2 as an independent prognostic biomarker of colon adenocarcinoma associated with poor immune response

Clinical outcomes of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) exhibit heterogeneity among different patients, highlighting the need for novel prognostic biomarkers. Kinesin superfamily members have been shown to play a crucial role in tumors and can predict cancer diagnosis and prognosis. However, the role of kinesin family member C2 (KIFC2) in tumors, particularly its prognostic value in COAD, remains poorly understood. Our bioinformatics analysis of the cancer genome atlas and GEO databases revealed significantly higher expression of KIFC2 in COAD, correlating with a worse prognosis in the cancer genome atlas-COAD and GSE17536 cohorts. Additionally, differentially expressed genes in COAD were enriched in immune-related pathways, and patients with higher KIFC2 expression showed fewer activated CD4 + T cells. These findings suggest KIFC2 as a potential prognostic biomarker for COAD, warranting further validation in clinical studies.

A Novel Gene Signature Associated With “E2F Target” Pathway for Predicting the Prognosis of Prostate Cancer

Background: The effect of the adenoviral early region 2 binding factors (E2Fs) target pathway on prostate cancer is not clear. It is necessary to establish an E2F target-related gene signature to predict prognosis and facilitate clinical decision-making.

Methods: An E2F target-related gene signature was established by univariate and LASSO Cox regression analyses, and its predictive ability was verified in multiple cohorts. Moreover, the enrichment pathway, immune microenvironment, and drug sensitivity of the activated E2F target pathway were also explored.

Results: The E2F target-related gene signature consisted of MXD3, PLK1, EPHA10, and KIF4A. The patients with high-risk scores showed poor prognosis, therapeutic resistance, and immunosuppression, along with abnormal growth characteristics of cells. Tinib drugs showed high sensitivity to the expression of MXD3 and EPHA10 genes.

Conclusion: Our research established an E2F target-related signature for predicting the prognosis of prostate cancer. This study provides insights into formulating individualized detection and treatment as well as provides a theoretical basis for future research.

KIF4A Regulates the Progression of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma through Proliferation and Invasion

Background

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the digestive tract, which is difficult to diagnose and treat due to bad early diagnosis. We aimed to explore the role of kinesin superfamily 4A (KIF4A) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

Methods

We first used the bioinformatic website to screen the data of pancreatic cancer in TCGA, and KIF4A protein was detected among the 86 specimens of patients in our hospital combined with clinic-pathological characteristics and survival analysis. KIF4A loss-expression cell lines were established by RNA interference (RNAi). In addition, we performed in vitro cell assays to detect the changes in cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The proteins involved in the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells were also detected by western blot. The above results could be proved in vivo. Further, the correlation between KIF4A and CDC5L was analyzed by TCGA and IHC data.

Results

We first found a high expression of KIF4A in pancreatic cancer, suggesting a role of KIF4A in the development of pancreatic cancer. KIF4A was found to be differentially expressed (P < 0.05) among the 86 specimens of patients in our hospital and was significantly associated with PDAC TNM stages and tumor size. High KIF4A expression also significantly worsened overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival rate (DFS) (P < 0.05, respectively). In addition, cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were inhibited by the KIF4A-shRNA group compared with the control (P < 0.05, respectively). In the end, knockdown of KIF4A could inhibit tumor development and metastasis in vivo. Further, the positive correlation between KIF4A and CDC5L existed, and KIF4A might promote pancreatic cancer proliferation by affecting CDC5L expression.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the high expression level of KIF4A in PDAC was closely related to poor clinical and pathological status, lymphatic metastasis, and vascular invasion. KIF4A might be involved in promoting the development of PDAC in vitro and in vivo, which might be a new therapeutic target of PDAC.

An integrated functional and clinical genomics approach reveals genes driving aggressive metastatic prostate cancer

Genomic sequencing of thousands of tumors has revealed many genes associated with specific types of cancer. Similarly, large scale CRISPR functional genomics efforts have mapped genes required for cancer cell proliferation or survival in hundreds of cell lines. Despite this, for specific disease subtypes, such as metastatic prostate cancer, there are likely a number of undiscovered tumor specific driver genes that may represent potential drug targets. To identify such genetic dependencies, we performed genome-scale CRISPRi screens in metastatic prostate cancer models. We then created a pipeline in which we integrated pan-cancer functional genomics data with our metastatic prostate cancer functional and clinical genomics data to identify genes that can drive aggressive prostate cancer phenotypes. Our integrative analysis of these data reveals known prostate cancer specific driver genes, such as AR and HOXB13, as well as a number of top hits that are poorly characterized. In this study we highlight the strength of an integrated clinical and functional genomics pipeline and focus on two top hit genes, KIF4A and WDR62. We demonstrate that both KIF4A and WDR62 drive aggressive prostate cancer phenotypes in vitro and in vivo in multiple models, irrespective of AR-status, and are also associated with poor patient outcome.

KIF4A knockdown suppresses ovarian cancer cell proliferation and induces apoptosis by downregulating BUB1 expression

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common lethal gynecological malignancies worldwide. Abnormal kinesin family member 4A (KIF4A) expression has been implicated in ovarian cancer progression; however, the potential mechanism underlying KIF4A in ovarian cancer is not completely understood. The present study aimed to clarify the molecular basis of KIF4A in ovarian cancer. KIF4A and budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles 1 (BUB1) expression levels were detected via reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting. Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, wound healing, TUNEL and flow cytometry assays were performed to assess cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis and cell cycle distribution, respectively. Ki67 expression levels were detected by conducting immunofluorescence assays. The expression levels of migration- and apoptosis-related proteins were measured via western blotting. A co-immunoprecipitation assay was conducted to determine the association between KIF4A and BUB1. The results demonstrated that KIF4A was expressed at significantly higher levels in ovarian cancer cell lines compared with IOSE-80 cells. Compared with the short hairpin RNA-negative control group, KIF4A knockdown significantly inhibited cell viability, colony formation and migration, and markedly induced cell apoptosis. The results indicated that KIF4A could bind to BUB1 and regulate BUB1 expression. BUB1 overexpression weakened KIF4A knockdown-mediated effects on cell viability, colony formation, migration and apoptosis. Overall, the present study demonstrated that KIF4A knockdown suppressed ovarian cancer progression by regulating BUB1, and suggested the potential value of KIF4A and BUB1 as therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer.

KIF4A promotes the development of bladder cancer by transcriptionally activating the expression of CDCA3

Bladder cancer (BC) is among the most common urinary system tumors with a high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite advancements being made in the diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer, targeted therapy remains the most promising treatment, and novel therapeutic targets are urgently required in to improve the outcomes of patients with BC. Kinesin family member 4A (KIF4A) is a plus-end directed motor protein involved in the regulation of multiple cellular processes, such as mitosis and axon growth. Notably, KIF4A plays important roles in tumor growth and progression, and its expression is associated with the prognosis of several types of cancer. However, the potential role and molecular mechanisms of KIF4A in bladder cancer development remain unclear. The present study demonstrated that KIF4A was highly expressed in human BC tissues, and its expression was associated with patient clinicopathological characteristics, such as tumor stage (P=0.012) and with the prognosis of patients with BC. It was further found that KIF4A promoted the cell proliferation of bladder cancer both in vitro and in vivo. On the whole, the data presented herein provide evidence that KIF4A promotes the development of BC through the transcriptional activation of the expression of CDCA3. The present study indicates the involvement of KIF4A in the progression of BC and suggests that KIF4A may be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of BC.

KIF20B Promotes Cell Proliferation and May Be a Potential Therapeutic Target in Pancreatic Cancer

KIFs have been reported to play a critical role in a variety of tumors, and KIF20B is a protein in KFIs. In this research, KIF20B was highly expressed in the GEO database and our hospital's data, and high expression of KIF20B suggested poor prognosis. We detect the expression of KIF20B in pancreatic cancer and adjacent normal tissues using immunohistochemistry. Knockdown of KIF20B in pancreatic cancer cell lines, PANC-1 and BxPC-3 cells, inhibited cell proliferation which are detected by colony formation assays, CCK8, and western bolt of Ki-67 and PCNA. Xenograft assay showed a similar result in vivo. KIF20B is a potential therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer.

miR-29c-3p regulates proliferation and migration in ovarian cancer by targeting KIF4A

Background

Increasing evidence suggested that microRNA and kinesin superfamily proteins play an essential role in ovarian cancer. The association between KIF4A and ovarian cancer (OC) was investigated in this study.

Methods

We performed bioinformatics analysis in the GEO database to screen out the differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) associated with ovarian cancer prognosis. Upstream targeting prediction for KIF4A was acquired by using the mirDIP database. The potential regulatory factor miR-29c-3p for KIF4A was obtained from the intersection of the above all miRNAs. The prognosis of KIF4A and target-miRNA in OC was obtained in the subsequent analysis. qRT-PCR and Western blot detected KIF4A expression level in IOSE80 (human normal ovarian epithelial cell line). In the meantime, the gene expression level was detected in A2780, HO-8910PM, COC1, and SKOV3 cell lines (human ovarian carcinoma cell line). MTT and colony formation assays were used to detect cell proliferation of SKOV3 cell line. The following assays detected cell migration through the use of transwell and wound heal assays. Targeted binding relationship between KIF4A and miRNA was detected by using the dual-luciferase reporter assay.

Results

Both high expression of KIF4A and lower expression of miR-29c-3p could be used as biomarkers indicating poor prognosis in OC patients. Cellular function tests confirmed that when KIF4A was silenced, it inhibited the proliferation and migration of OC cells. In addition, 3′-UTR of KIF4A had a direct binding site with miR-29c-3p, which indicated that the expression of KIF4A could be regulated by miR-29c-3p. In subsequent assays, the proliferation and migration of OC cells were inhibited by the overexpression of miR-29c-3p. At the same time, rescue experiments also confirmed that the promotion of KIF4A could be reversed by miR-29c-3p.

Conclusion

In a word, our data revealed a new mechanism for the role of KIF4A in the occurrence and development of OC.

KIF4A is a promising prognostic marker and correlates with immune infiltration in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Background

Kinesin family member 4A (KIF4A) belongs to the kinesin family. It has been found to promote the proliferation and invasion of tumor cells and correlates with the poor prognosis of different types of human cancers. However, the expression and prognostic value of KIF4A in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and its correlation with tumor-infiltrating immune cells are currently unclear.

Methods

Here, we analyzed the expression data of KIF4A in different types of tumors on the TIMER database. The Kaplan-Meier curve was utilized to reveal the correlation between KIF4A expression and the clinical prognosis of ccRCC patients. UALCAN database was utilized to evaluate the relationship between KIF4A expression and the clinicopathological features of ccRCC patients. In addition, the correlation between KIF4A expression and the abundance of immune infiltrates, as well as gene markers of tumor-infiltrating immune cells was determined on the TIMER database.

Results

Various types of malignant tumors, including kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), show high levels of KIF4A expression. The high expression of KIF4A was correlated with the worse prognosis, advanced clinical stage, poorer differentiation, and higher levels of immune infiltration in KIRC.

Conclusions

In summary, KIF4A is a promising prognostic marker and correlates with immune infiltration in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. However, further molecular and cellular experimental evidence is required to validate these conclusions.

Identification by TCGA database search of five genes that are aberrantly expressed and involved in hepatocellular carcinoma potentially via DNA methylation changes

BACKGROUND

Various treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are utilized in clinical practice; however, the prognosis is still poor on account of high recurrence rates. DNA methylation levels of CpG islands around promoters (promoter CpGis) inversely regulate gene expression and closely involved in carcinogenesis. As a new strategy, several chemicals globally inhibiting DNA methylation have been developed aiming at reducing DNA methylation levels and maintaining the expression of tumor suppressor genes. On the other hand, since these drugs nonspecifically modify DNA methylation, they can cause serious adverse effects. In order to ameliorate the methods by targeting specific CpGs, information of cancer-related genes that are regulated by DNA methylation is required.

METHODS

We searched candidate genes whose expressions were regulated by DNA methylation of promoter CpGi and which are involved in HCC cases. To do so, we first identified genes whose expression were changed in HCC by comparing gene expressions of 371 HCC tissues and 41 non-tumor tissues using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The genes were further selected for poor prognosis by log-rank test of Kaplan-Meier plot and for cancer relevance by Pubmed search. Expression profiles of upregulated genes in HCC tissues were assessed by Gene Ontology (GO) analysis. Finally, using DNA methylation data of TCGA database, we selected genes whose promoter DNA methylation levels were inversely correlated with gene expression.

RESULTS

We found 115 genes which were significantly up- or downregulated in HCC tissues and were associated with poor prognosis and cancer relevance. The upregulated genes were significantly enriched in cell division, cell cycle, and cell proliferation. Among the upregulated genes in HCC, we identified hypomethylation of CpGis around promoters of FANCB, KIF15, KIF4A, ERCC6L, and UBE2C. In addition, TCGA data showed that the tumor suppressor gene P16 is unexpectedly overexpressed in many types of cancers.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified five candidate genes whose expressions were regulated by DNA methylation of promoter CpGi and associate with cancer cases and poor prognosis in HCC. Modification of site-specific DNA methylation of these genes enables a different approach for HCC treatment with higher selectivity and lower adverse effects.

Knockdown of lncRNA PVT1 inhibits prostate cancer progression in vitro and in vivo by the suppression of KIF23 through stimulating miR-15a-5p

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PCa) greatly threatens men's lives, with high incidence and mortality. Recently, the research of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has made breakthroughs in the development of human cancers. This study aimed to figure out the role and action mechanism of lncRNA PVT1 (PVT1) in PCa.

METHODS

The expression of PVT1, microRNA-15a-5p (miR-15a-5p) and kinesin family member 23 (KIF23) was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion were assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), flow cytometry and transwell assays, respectively. The protein levels of KIF23 and proliferation, apoptosis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers were quantified by western blot. The relationship between miR-15a-5p and PVT1 or KIF23 was predicted by starBase v2.0 and verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Xenograft assay was conducted to determine the role of PVT1 in vivo.

RESULTS

The expression of PVT1 and KIF23 was enhanced, while miR-15a-5p expression was reduced in PCa tissues and cells. PVT1 interference inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion but promoted apoptosis of PCa cells. MiR-15a-5p was a target of PVT1, and KIF23 was a target of miR-15a-5p. The inhibition of miR-15a-5p reversed the effects of PVT1 interference and suppressed the roles of KIF23 knockdown. KIF23 expression was regulated by PVT1 through miR-15a-5p. PVT1 interference blocked PCa progression in vivo.

CONCLUSION

PVT1 knockdown had effects on the progression of PCa by inhibiting the expression of KIF23 via enriching miR-15a-5p in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that PVT1 might be a novel biomarker for the treatment of PCa.

Integrated bioinformatics analysis for the screening of hub genes and therapeutic drugs in ovarian cancer

Background

Ovarian cancer (OC) ranks fifth as a cause of gynecological cancer-associated death globally. Until now, the molecular mechanisms underlying the tumorigenesis and prognosis of OC have not been fully understood. This study aims to identify hub genes and therapeutic drugs involved in OC.

Methods

Four gene expression profiles (GSE54388, GSE69428, GSE36668, and GSE40595) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in OC tissues and normal tissues with an adjusted P-value < 0.05 and a |log fold change (FC)| > 1.0 were first identified by GEO2R and FunRich software. Next, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed for functional enrichment analysis of these DEGs. Then, the hub genes were identified by the cytoHubba plugin and the other bioinformatics approaches including protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, module analysis, survival analysis, and miRNA-hub gene network construction was also performed. Finally, the GEPIA2 and DGIdb databases were utilized to verify the expression levels of hub genes and to select the candidate drugs for OC, respectively.

Results

A total of 171 DEGs were identified, including 114 upregulated and 57 downregulated DEGs. The results of the GO analysis indicated that the upregulated DEGs were mainly involved in cell division, nucleus, and protein binding, whereas the biological functions showing enrichment in the downregulated DEGs were mainly negative regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, protein complex and apicolateral plasma membrane, and glycosaminoglycan binding. As for the KEGG-pathway, the upregulated DEGs were mainly associated with metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of antibiotics, biosynthesis of amino acids, cell cycle, and HTLV-I infection. Additionally, 10 hub genes (KIF4A, CDC20, CCNB2, TOP2A, RRM2, TYMS, KIF11, BIRC5, BUB1B, and FOXM1) were identified and survival analysis of these hub genes showed that OC patients with the high-expression of CCNB2, TYMS, KIF11, KIF4A, BIRC5, BUB1B, FOXM1, and CDC20 were statistically more likely to have poorer progression free survival. Meanwhile, the expression levels of the hub genes based on GEPIA2 were in accordance with those based on GEO. Finally, DGIdb database was used to identify 62 small molecules as the potentially targeted drugs for OC treatment.

Conclusions

In summary, the data may produce new insights regarding OC pathogenesis and treatment. Hub genes and candidate drugs may improve individualized diagnosis and therapy for OC in future.

Prognostic value of Kinesin-4 family genes mRNA expression in early-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients after pancreaticoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential prognostic value of Kinesin-4 family genes mRNA expression in early-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

METHODS

Kaplan-Meier survival analysis method with log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis were performed to figure out the association between Kinesin-4 family genes expression and PDAC patients overall survival time. Joint-effect survival analysis and stratified survival analysis were carried out to assess the prognosis prediction value of prognosis-related gene. Nomogram was constructed for the individualized prognosis prediction. In addition, we had used the gene set enrichment analysis and genome-wide co-expression analysis to further explore the potential mechanism.

RESULTS

KIF21A expression level was significantly associated with PDAC patient clinical prognosis outcome and patient with a high expression of KIF21A would have a shorter overall survival time. The prognosis prediction significance of KIF21A was well validated by the joint-effect survival analysis, stratified survival analysis, and nomogram. Meanwhile, the gene set enrichment analysis and genome-wide co-expression analysis revealed that KIF21A might involve in DNA damage and repair, transcription and translation process, post-translation protein modification, cell cycle, carcinogensis genes and pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

Our current research demonstrated that KIF21A could serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for patient with early-stage PDAC after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Expression of KIF18A Is Associated with Increased Tumor Stage and Cell Proliferation in Prostate Cancer

Background

The role of KIF18A in tumorigenesis and tumor development has been well studied in several cancers, but not in prostate cancer. In this study, we investigated the potential prognostic utility of KIF18A and its role in prostate cancer progression.

Material/Methods

We collected prostate cancer and paracancerous tissue samples from the same patient. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to investigate the KIF18A expression levels in the clinical sample. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was analyzed via a bioinformatics approach to gain insight into the relationship between KIF18A expression and prognosis. We examined the effect of KIF18A knockdown on PC-3 cell proliferation via colony formation and MTT assays. Flow cytometry was used to assess the effect of KIF18A knockdown on PC-3 cell apoptosis. Transwell invasion assay was performed to assess whether KIF18A affects the invasion ability of PC-3 cells.

Results

The KIF18A protein level was higher in PCa tissue than in paracancerous tissue. The In addition, upregulated KIF18A suggested a poor tumor stage and prognosis for prostate cancer patients. Our in vitro experiments demonstrated that KIF18A knockdown in PC-3 cells significantly inhibited proliferation and metastasis.

Conclusions

High KIF18A expression in prostate cancer patients predicts a poor prognosis. KIF18A knockdown inhibits prostate cell proliferation and metastasis. Therefore, this study confirms the usefulness of KIF18A as an oncological prognostic indicator and a potential therapeutic target for prostate cancer.

Genome‑wide investigation of the clinical significance and prospective molecular mechanisms of kinesin family member genes in patients with lung adenocarcinoma

The current study aimed to identify the potential clinical significance and molecular mechanisms of kinesin (KIF) family member genes in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) using genome-wide RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) datasets derived from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Clinical parameters and RNA-seq data of patients with LUAD from the TCGA database enabled the assessment of the clinical significance of KIF genes, while the potential mechanisms of their interactions in LUAD were investigated by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). A gene signature with potential prognostic value was constructed via a stepwise multivariable Cox analysis. In total, 23 KIF genes were identified to be differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the LUAD tumor and adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Of these, 8 differentially expressed KIF genes were strongly found to be strongly associated with the overall survival of patients with LUAD. Three of these genes were found to be able to be grouped as a potential prognostic gene signature. Patients with higher risk scores calculated using this gene signature were found to have a markedly higher risk of mortality (adjusted P=0.003; adjusted HR, 1.576; 95% CI, 1.166–2.129). Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that this prognostic signature was able to accurately predict patient prognosis with an area under curve of 0.636, 0.643,0.665, 0.670 and 0.593 for the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year survival, respectively. This prognostic gene signature was identified as an independent risk factor for LUAD and was able to more accurately predict prognosis in comparison to other known clinical parameters, as shown via comprehensive survival analysis. GSEA enrichment revealed that that KIF14, KIF18B and KIF20A mediated basic cell physiology through the regulation of the cell cycle, DNA replication, and DNA repair biological processes and pathways. On the whole, the findings of this study identified 23 KIF genes that were DEGs between LUAD tumor and adjacent non-cancerous tissues. In total, 8 of these genes had the potential to function as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers in patients with LUAD.

Identification of KIF11 As a Novel Target in Meningioma

Kinesins play an important role in many physiological functions including intracellular vesicle transport and mitosis. The emerging role of kinesins in different cancers led us to investigate the expression and functional role of kinesins in meningioma. Therefore, we re-analyzed our previous microarray dataset of benign, atypical, and anaplastic meningiomas (n = 62) and got evidence for differential expression of five kinesins (KIFC1, KIF4A, KIF11, KIF14 and KIF20A). Further validation in an extended study sample (n = 208) revealed a significant upregulation of these genes in WHO°I to °III meningiomas (WHO°I n = 61, WHO°II n = 88, and WHO°III n = 59), which was most pronounced in clinically more aggressive tumors of the same WHO grade. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed a WHO grade-associated upregulated protein expression in meningioma tissues. Furthermore, high mRNA expression levels of KIFC1, KIF11, KIF14 and KIF20A were associated with shorter progression-free survival. On a functional level, knockdown of kinesins in Ben-Men-1 cells and in the newly established anaplastic meningioma cell line NCH93 resulted in a significantly inhibited tumor cell proliferation upon siRNA-mediated downregulation of KIF11 in both cell lines by up to 95% and 71%, respectively. Taken together, in this study we were able to identify the prognostic and functional role of several kinesin family members of which KIF11 exhibits the most promising properties as a novel prognostic marker and therapeutic target, which may offer new treatment options for aggressive meningiomas.

Distinct Diagnostic and Prognostic Values of Kinesin Family Member Genes Expression in Patients with Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND This study investigated the diagnostic and prognostic values of kinesin superfamily proteins (KIFs) in breast cancer (BC) patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS All data were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas. DESeq was run to test for differentially expressed KIF genes. Patients were divided into high- and low-expression groups according to the median expression values of each KIF genes. Survival data were calculated using the Cox proportional hazard model. Comprehensive survival analysis was performed to evaluate the prognostic value of the prognostic signature. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to identify associated gene ontology and KEGG pathways. RESULTS Bioinformatics analysis showed that all KIF genes were significantly enriched during DNA replication and the cell cycle, and co-expressed with each other. Thirteen KIF genes were differentially expressed in cancer and adjacent tissues, and high levels of KIF15, KIF20A, KIF23, KIF2C and KIF4A genes were significantly correlated with poor overall survival (OS). GSEA showed that BC patients with high expression of KIF15, KIF20A, KIF23, KIF2C and KIF4A were enriched in the cell cycle process, P53 regulation pathway and mismatch repair. Combinations of low expression of KIF15, KIF20A, KIF23, KIF2C and KIF4A were more highly correlated with favorable OS. Nomograms showed that the KIF4A risk score provided the maximum number of risk points (range 0-100), whereas other genes made a lower contribution. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that 13 KIF genes are differentially expressed in BC tumor tissues, and KIF15, KIF20A, KIF23, KIF2C and KIF4A are associated with prognostic factors in BC.