title: Identification of Key Gene Modules in Human Osteosarcoma by Co-Expression Analysis Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA).
abstract: Osteosarcoma is the eighth-most common form of childhood cancer, comprising about 20% of all primary bone cancers. To date, systemic co-expression analysis for this cancer is still insufficient to explain the pathogenesis of poorly understood OC. The objective of this study was to construct a gene co-expression network to predict clusters of candidate genes involved in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma. First, we contributed co-expression modules via weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and investigated the functional enrichment analysis of co-expression genes in terms of GO and KEGG. In result, seven co-expression modules were identified, containing 2,228 differentially expressed genes identified from the 22 human osteosarcoma samples. Subsequently, correlation study showed that the hub-genes between pair-wise modules displayed significant differences. Lastly, functional enrichment analysis of the co-expression modules showed that the module 5 enriched in progresses of immune response, antigen processing, and presentation. In conclusion, we identified essential genes in module 5 which were associated to human osteosarcoma. The key genes in our findings might provide the framework of co-expression gene modules of human osteosarcoma. Further, the functional analysis of these associated genes provides references to understand the mechanism of Osteosarcoma. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 3953-3959, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Orthopaedics, The Fifth People's Hospital of Fudan University, Heqing Road No.801, Minghangqu, Shanghai, 200240, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiangsheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: The Department of Orthopedic Surgery, People's Hospital of Three Gorges University, YiChang, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ai-Xin
authors.initials: AX
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, The Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University and The Second People's Hospital of Huai'an, Huai'an, Jiangsu, 223002, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jia-Li
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7236-831X
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory, Huai'an First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an, Jiangsu, 223300, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Feng-Li
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D052138:Genes, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
keywords: CO-EXPRESSION; FUNCTION; GENE EXPRESSION; MODULES; OSTEOSARCOMA