Identification of methylation-driven genes related to the prognosis of papillary renal cell carcinoma: a study based on The Cancer Genome Atlas.

Aberrant DNA methylation patterns are involved in the pathogenesis of papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC). This study aimed to investigate the potential of methylation-driven genes as biomarkers in determining the prognosis of pRCC by bioinformatics analysis.

DNA methylation and transcriptome profiling data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Methylation-driven genes (MDGs) were obtained using MethylMix R package. A Cox regression model was used to screen for pRCC prognosis-related MDGs, and a linear risk model based on MDG methylation profiles was constructed. A combined methylation and gene expression survival analysis was performed to further explore the prognostic value of MDGs independently.

A total of 31 MDGs were obtained. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis identified eight genes (CASP1, CD68, HOXD3, HHLA2, HOXD9, HOXA10-AS, TMEM71, and PLA2G16), which were used to construct a predictive model associated with overall survival in pRCC patients. Combined DNA methylation and gene expression survival analysis revealed that C19orf33, GGT6, GIPC2, HHLA2, HOXD3, HSD17B14, PLA2G16, and TMEM71 were significantly associated with patients' survival.

Through the analysis of MDGs in pRCC, this study identified potential biomarkers for precision treatment and prognosis prediction, and provided the basis for future research into the molecular mechanism of pRCC.

Cancer cell international. 2020 Jun 12*** epublish ***

Zeyu Liu, Yuxiang Wan, Ming Yang, Xuewei Qi, Zhenzhen Dong, Jinchang Huang, Jingnan Xu

Third Affiliated Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029 China., School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029 China.