The influence of COVID-19 on colorectal cancer was investigated using bioinformatics and systems biology techniques

Yujia Song; Tengda Huang; Hongyuan Pan; Ao Du; Tian Wu; Jiang Lan; Xinyi Zhou; Yue Lv; Shuai Xue; Kefei Yuan

doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1169562

The influence of COVID-19 on colorectal cancer was investigated using bioinformatics and systems biology techniques

Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Jun 30:10:1169562. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1169562. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Yujia Song¹, Tengda Huang¹, Hongyuan Pan^{1

2}, Ao Du¹, Tian Wu^{1

2}, Jiang Lan¹, Xinyi Zhou¹, Yue Lv¹, Shuai Xue¹, Kefei Yuan¹

Affiliations

¹ Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
² State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.

Abstract

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic and highly contagious, posing a serious threat to human health. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a risk factor for COVID-19 infection. Therefore, it is vital to investigate the intrinsic link between these two diseases.

Methods: In this work, bioinformatics and systems biology techniques were used to detect the mutual pathways, molecular biomarkers, and potential drugs between COVID-19 and CRC.

Results: A total of 161 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified based on the RNA sequencing datasets of the two diseases. Functional analysis was performed using ontology keywords, and pathway analysis was also performed. The common DEGs were further utilized to create a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and to identify hub genes and key modules. The datasets revealed transcription factors-gene interactions, co-regulatory networks with DEGs-miRNAs of common DEGs, and predicted possible drugs as well. The ten predicted drugs include troglitazone, estradiol, progesterone, calcitriol, genistein, dexamethasone, lucanthone, resveratrol, retinoic acid, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, some of which have been investigated as potential CRC and COVID-19 therapies.

Discussion: By clarifying the relationship between COVID-19 and CRC, we hope to provide novel clues and promising therapeutic drugs to treat these two illnesses.

Keywords: COVID-19; colorectal cancer; differentially expressed genes; drug molecule; gene ontology; hub gene; protein–protein interaction.