The N6-Methyladenosine- (m6A-) Associated Genes Act as Strong Key Biomarkers for the Prognosis of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Comput Math Methods Med. 2021 Nov 19:2021:8715823. doi: 10.1155/2021/8715823. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Background: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) has become the major cause of cancer-related deaths globally. The m6A (N6-methyladenosine) alteration plays a crucial function in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. The role of genes related to m6A and their expression level in pancreatic cancer is not identified yet. The objective of this research analysis is a demonstration of the m6A RNA methylation regulators based as biomarkers for the PAAD diagnosis.

Methods: About 23 extensively reported m6A RNA methylation regulators were identified through the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. This identification was based on consensus clustering analysis, protein-protein integration (PPI) analysis, risk prognostic model, Cox-regression analysis, String Spearman analysis, and LASSO Cox-regression.

Results: Herein, we conclude that 23 m6A methylation regulators have a strong link with the clinical and molecular characteristics of PAAD. The three subgroups (1/2) of pancreatic adenocarcinoma were identified using the clustering of 23 m6A regulators. Subgroup cluster 2 had a lower survival rate than the subgroup of cluster 1, and the difference in grades between the two groups was substantial. An assessment was performed using the 23 reported m6A methylation regulators. Eight of these can be used as independent PAAD prognostic markers. The consequences of variable IGF2BP3 expression in PAAD were then investigated further.

Conclusions: The key finding of this study was that the m6A methylation regulator gene has the main role in pancreatic tumors, and it may be used as a biomarker in the prognosis of the PAAD and for therapy purposes.

Publication types

  • Retracted Publication

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics*
  • Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Adenosine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Adenosine / genetics
  • Adenosine / metabolism
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Computational Biology
  • Databases, Genetic
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Gene Regulatory Networks
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Methylation
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Prognosis
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Protein Interaction Maps / genetics
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • IGF2BP3 protein, human
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • N-methyladenosine
  • Adenosine