Prognostic value of ubiquitination-related differentially expressed genes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a comprehensive analysis and future directions.

Abstract

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) represents a considerable health challenge, primarily due to its poor prognosis and the limited availability of effective therapeutic interventions. Ubiquitination, a vital post-translational modification, is integral to cellular regulation; nonetheless, its role in ESCC has not been thoroughly explored. This study aims to identify ubiquitination-related differentially expressed genes (URDEGs) that possess prognostic significance in the context of ESCC.

Methods: We conducted a comprehensive analysis using The Cancer Genome Atlas ESCC (TCGA-ESCC) dataset, GSE20347, and an in-house ESCC dataset to identify URDEGs. The limma R package was used to determine the intersection of ubiquitination-related genes (URGs) with common differentially expressed genes (Co-DEGs) for differential expression analysis. To evaluate prognostic value, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was conducted, while functional enrichment was examined using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. Validation was performed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Results: Eighty-five URDEGs were identified, with five key genes (BUB1B, CHEK1, DNMT1, IRAK1, and PRKDC) showing significant prognostic value. Analysis revealed that these genes play key roles in essential processes such as the cell cycle and immune response, and their varied expression in ESCC tissues supports their use as targets for therapy.

Conclusions: The results of our study highlight the prognostic significance of URDEGs in ESCC, suggesting that they may serve as useful biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Future research should focus on clinical validation and the development of targeted therapies to improve the outcomes of patients with ESCC.