Alteration in gene expression profiles of thymoma: Genetic differences and potential novel targets.

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the gene expression profiles associated with thymoma to better understand the molecular mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of thymoma.

Methods: Eight patients with thymomas (type A, AB, B1, and B2) and four controls with thymic cysts were analyzed using microarray profiling to identify changes in gene expression.

Results: Across all of our samples, 2319 messenger RNAs were upregulated and 2776 were downregulated in thymomas relative to thymic cysts. Gene ontology and pathway analyses revealed that a large number of genes participate in cellular functions, among which MHC class II protein complex assembly, assembly with peptide antigen, calcium activated phosphatidylcholine scrambling, and release of cytoplasmic sequestered NF-κB were dysregulated, whereas intestinal immune network for immunoglobulin A production, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, the calcium signaling pathway, and pathways related to autoimmune diseases were downregulated.

Conclusions: Our results revealed gene expression differences between thymomas and thymic cysts, and identified key candidate genes/pathways that might be used as diagnostic markers and potential therapeutic targets to treat cancer metastasis.