Potential Genes Associated with the Survival of Lung Adenocarcinoma Were Identified by Methylation

Abstract

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common pathological type of lung cancer. The purpose of this study is to search for genes related to the prognosis of LUAD through methylation based on a linear mixed model (LMM).

Methods: Gene expression, methylation, and survival data of LUAD patients were downloaded from the TCGA database. Based on the LMM model, the GEMMA algorithm was used to screen the predictive genes related to LUAD survival. The Cox model was used to further screen the predicted genes, and then, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed. Through the software plugin Cytoscape MCODE 3.8.0, the most closely related genes in the PPI network module were selected for in-depth biological function analysis to further explore the interaction and correlation between genes.

Results: We screened out 97 predictive genes from 18,834 genes and eliminated one gene associated with lung squamous cell carcinoma from previous studies, leaving 96 genes. The MCODE and the Kaplan-Meier curve analysis were used to finally identify two genes ASB16 and NEDD4 that are related to the prognosis of LUAD.

Conclusions: The newly identified two genes associated with the prognosis of LUAD may provide a basis for the treatment of patients.