Unraveling the genetic and singaling landscapes of pediatric cancer

Abstract

Pediatric cancer (PAEC) arises from gene mutations and their disrupted pathways, often driven by genetic instability affecting cell signaling. These pathways can help identify cancer triggers. Genomic studies have examined PAEC gene etiologies and disorders, but further analysis is needed to understand tumor progression mechanisms. We systematically analyzed PAEC datasets from cBioPortal, encompassing thirteen studies with 6568 samples. We identified 827 PAEC genes with mutation frequencies over fifteen across four tiers (I-IV). Tier I (mutation frequency ≥1 %) includes 40 genes, while Tier II(0.90–0.70 %), Tier III(0.60–0.50 %), and Tier IV(0.40–0.10 %) comprise 126, 336, and 325 genes, respectively. Key Tier I genes include TP53(5 %), NRAS(2.2 %), KRAS(1.8 %), CTNNB1(1.4 %), ATM(1.3 %), CREBBP(1.2 %), JAK2 (1.1 %), PIK3CA(1 %), PTEN(1 %), BRAF(0.9 %), EGFR(0.9 %), PIK3R1(0.8 %), and PTPN11(0.8 %). These genes participate in various signaling pathways (PI3K/AKT/mTOR, RAS/RAF/MAPK, JAK/STAT, and WNT/β-catenin), which are interconnected. We compared several PAEC panels with Tier I genes, and we found that the most shared across PAEC panels were TP53 (8), PTEN (7), and ATM (4). We further examined roles of TP53 in normal cells versus PEAC tumors using digital cellular and pathological imaging data supported by Human Protein Atlas. TP53 is expressed in cytosol, nucleosol, and vesicles and during cell-cycle TP53 protein in key regulator and it is present during all major cell-cycle events. Balancing of TP53^WT and TP53^MUT is the hallmark of the TP53 pathophysiology with severe functional implications. Notably, genes linked to insulin metabolism disorders may be PAEC risk factors, suggesting metabolic pathways as key research targets. This study highlights the therapeutic, prognostic, and diagnostic significance of these genes and pathways, emphasizing the need for ongoing PAEC research.