title: Screening the molecular targets of ovarian cancer based on bioinformatics analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. This study aims to explore the molecular mechanisms of OC and identify potential molecular targets for OC treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Microarray gene expression data (GSE14407) including 12 normal ovarian surface epithelia samples and 12 OC epithelia samples were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between 2 kinds of ovarian tissue were identified by using limma package in R language (|log2 fold change| gt;1 and false discovery rate [FDR] lt;0.05). Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) and known OC-related genes were screened from COXPRESdb and GenBank database, respectively. Furthermore, PPI network of top 10 upregulated DEGs and top 10 downregulated DEGs was constructed and visualized through Cytoscape software. Finally, for the genes involved in PPI network, functional enrichment analysis was performed by using DAVID (FDR lt;0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 1136 DEGs were identified, including 544 downregulated and 592 upregulated DEGs. Then, PPI network was constructed, and DEGs CDKN2A, MUC1, OGN, ZIC1, SOX17, and TFAP2A interacted with known OC-related genes CDK4, EGFR/JUN, SRC, CLI1, CTNNB1, and TP53, respectively. Moreover, functions about oxygen transport and embryonic development were enriched by the genes involved in the network of downregulated DEGs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We propose that 4 DEGs (OGN, ZIC1, SOX17, and TFAP2A) and 2 functions (oxygen transport and embryonic development) might play a role in the development of OC. These 4 DEGs and known OC-related genes might serve as therapeutic targets for OC. Further studies are required to validate these predictions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital of China Welfare Institute, Shanghai - China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Xiaolei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Chenyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ding
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shuying
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaowei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D019295:Computational Biology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D055760:SOXF Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D050656:Transcription Factor AP-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C063488:OGN protein, human; C109188:SOX17 protein, human; D055760:SOXF Transcription Factors; C493673:TFAP2A protein, human; D050656:Transcription Factor AP-2; D014157:Transcription Factors; C492123:ZIC1 protein, human; D010100:Oxygen