AUTHOR=Li Zhaodong , Yu Bingxin , Qi Fangyuan , Li Fan
TITLE=KIF11 Serves as an Independent Prognostic Factor and Therapeutic Target for Patients With Lung Adenocarcinoma
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology
VOLUME=11
YEAR=2021
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.670218
DOI=10.3389/fonc.2021.670218
ISSN=2234-943X
ABSTRACT=BackgroundLung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is challenging in clinical practice due to the poor understanding of molecular mechanisms and limited therapeutic targets. Herein, the work aimed to use bioinformatics to identify a promising molecular target for LUAD therapy.
MethodsDifferentially expressed genes (DEGs) from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset were used for a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to screen the hub gene. After a prognostic estimation with meta-analysis and COX regression analysis, we performed a function analysis on the corresponding gene. The ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT methods were adopted to analyze the association of the hub gene with the tumor microenvironment (TME). A cohort of functional assays was conducted to establish the functional roles of the hub gene in A549 and PC-9 cells.
ResultsOur screen identified KIF11 as a prognostic factor, which indicated the poor overall survival and the worse progression-free survival in LUAD patients. Additionally, KIF11 was primarily involved in cell cycle, TME alteration and tumor-infiltrating immune cells proportions. KIF11 knockdown exerted inhibitory effects on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Results of the flow cytometry analysis revealed that KIF11 knockdown induced a G2/M phase arrest and improved apoptosis in LUAD cells.
ConclusionsKIF11 is essential for LUAD cell proliferation and metastasis, and it may serve as an independent prognostic factor as well as a promising therapeutic target for LUAD patients.