Bioinformatics and System Biology Approach to Reveal the Interaction Network and the Therapeutic Implications for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients With COVID-19

Zhenjie Zhuang; Xiaoying Zhong; Qianying Chen; Huiqi Chen; Zhanhua Liu

doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.857730

Bioinformatics and System Biology Approach to Reveal the Interaction Network and the Therapeutic Implications for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients With COVID-19

Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jun 2:13:857730. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.857730. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Zhenjie Zhuang¹, Xiaoying Zhong¹, Qianying Chen¹, Huiqi Chen¹, Zhanhua Liu²

Affiliations

¹ Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
² Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.

Abstract

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the leading cause of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), is an emerging global health crisis. Lung cancer patients are at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection. With the increasing number of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with COVID-19, there is an urgent need of efficacious drugs for the treatment of COVID-19/NSCLC. Methods: Based on a comprehensive bioinformatic and systemic biological analysis, this study investigated COVID-19/NSCLC interactional hub genes, detected common pathways and molecular biomarkers, and predicted potential agents for COVID-19 and NSCLC. Results: A total of 122 COVID-19/NSCLC interactional genes and 21 interactional hub genes were identified. The enrichment analysis indicated that COVID-19 and NSCLC shared common signaling pathways, including cell cycle, viral carcinogenesis, and p53 signaling pathway. In total, 10 important transcription factors (TFs) and 44 microRNAs (miRNAs) participated in regulations of 21 interactional hub genes. In addition, 23 potential candidates were predicted for the treatment of COVID-19 and NSCLC. Conclusion: This study increased our understanding of pathophysiology and screened potential drugs for COVID-19 and NSCLC.

Keywords: COVID-19; bioinformatic analysis; interaction network; non-small-cell lung cancer; systemic biological analysis.