Ruguo key genes and tumor driving factors identification of bladder cancer based on the RNA-seq profile.

Aim: This study aimed to select several signature genes associated with bladder cancer, thus to investigate the possible mechanism in bladder cancer.

Methods: The mRNA expression profile data of GSE31614, including ten bladder tissues and ten control samples, was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in bladder cancer samples compared with the control samples were screened using the Student's t-test method. Functional analysis for the DEGs was analyzed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery from the Gene Ontology database, followed by the transcription function annotation of DEGs from Tumor-Associated Gene database. Motifs of genes that had transcription functions in promoter region were analyzed using the Seqpos.

Results: A total of 1,571 upregulated and 1,507 downregulated DEGs in the bladder cancer samples were screened. ELF3 and MYBL2 involved in cell cycle and DNA replication were tumor suppressors. MEG3, APEX1, and EZH2 were related with the cell epigenetic regulation in bladder cancer. Moreover, HOXB9 and EN1 that have their own motif were the transcription factors.

Conclusion: Our study has identified several key genes involved in bladder cancer. ELF3 and MYBL2 are tumor suppressers, HOXB9 and EN1 are the main regulators, while MEG3, APEX1, and EZH2 are driving factors for bladder cancer progression.