Clinical and Translational Research
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Surg. Feb 27, 2024; 16(2): 289-306
Published online Feb 27, 2024. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v16.i2.289
Phospholipase A2 enzymes PLA2G2A and PLA2G12B as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in cholangiocarcinoma
Chen Qiu, Yu-Kai Xiang, Xuan-Bo Da, Hong-Lei Zhang, Xiang-Yu Kong, Nian-Zong Hou, Cheng Zhang, Fu-Zhou Tian, Yu-Long Yang
Chen Qiu, Yu-Kai Xiang, Xuan-Bo Da, Hong-Lei Zhang, Xiang-Yu Kong, Nian-Zong Hou, Cheng Zhang, Yu-Long Yang, Center of Gallbladder Disease, Shanghai East Hospital, Institute of Gallstone Disease, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Fu-Zhou Tian, General Surgery Center, Chengdu Military General Hospital, Chengdu 610083, Sichuan Province, China
Author contributions: Yang YL for the design of the study; Zhang C and Tian FZ for review and editing; Da XB, Zhang HL, Kong XY, and Hou NZ for data collection from Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas; Qiu C and Xiang YK for data analysis and drafting of the article.
Supported by the Key Specialty Construction Project of Shanghai Pudong New Area Health Commission, No. PWZzk2022-17; Shanghai East Hospital Clinical Research Project, No. DFLC2022019; and the Featured Clinical Discipline Project of Shanghai Pudong District, No. PWYts2021-06.
Institutional review board statement: The datasets of this study are from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Gene Expression Omnibus, the institutional review board is not related to this statement.
Clinical trial registration statement: The datasets of this study are from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Gene Expression Omnibus, the clinical trial registration is not related to this statement.
Informed consent statement: The datasets of this study are from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Gene Expression Omnibus, the informed consent is not related to this statement.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Data sharing statement: The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Yu-Long Yang, Center of Gallbladder Disease, Shanghai East Hospital, Institute of Gallstone Disease, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 150 Jimo Road, Shanghai 200092, China. yyl516@tongji.edu.cn
Received: December 1, 2023
Peer-review started: December 1, 2023
First decision: December 7, 2023
Revised: December 19, 2023
Accepted: January 15, 2024
Article in press: January 15, 2024
Published online: February 27, 2024
Processing time: 86 Days and 8.9 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) enzymes are pivotal in various biological processes, such as lipid mediator production, membrane remodeling, bioenergetics, and maintaining the body surface barrier. Notably, these enzymes play a significant role in the development of diverse tumors.

AIM

To systematically and comprehensively explore the expression of the PLA2 family genes and their potential implications in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA).

METHODS

We conducted an analysis of five CCA datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Gene Expression Omnibus. The study identified differentially expressed genes between tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues, with a focus on PLA2G2A and PLA2G12B. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis was utilized to pinpoint associated pathways. Moreover, relevant hub genes and microRNAs for PLA2G2A and PLA2G12B were predicted, and their correlation with the prognosis of CCA was evaluated.

RESULTS

PLA2G2A and PLA2G12B were discerned as differentially expressed in CCA, manifesting significant variations in expression levels in urine and serum between CCA patients and healthy individuals. Elevated expression of PLA2G2A was correlated with poorer overall survival in CCA patients. Additionally, the study delineated pathways and miRNAs associated with these genes.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that PLA2G2A and PLA2G12B may serve as novel potential diagnostic and prognostic markers for CCA. The increased levels of these genes in biological fluids could be employed as non-invasive markers for CCA, and their expression levels are indicative of prognosis, underscoring their potential utility in clinical settings.

Keywords: PLA2G2A; PLA2G12B; Diagnostic; Prognostic biomarkers cholangiocarcinoma

Core Tip: This study reveals significant findings in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) research, focusing on the roles of PLA2G2A and PLA2G12B enzymes. Key discoveries include the elevated expression of these enzymes in CCA, their involvement in carcinogenic pathways, and their potential as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Notably, PLA2G2A’s expression correlates with poor survival outcomes in CCA patients. Additionally, the study highlights the prognostic value of associated microRNAs in serum and urine, offering new insights into non-invasive biomarkers for CCA. The research underscores the need for further validation and exploration of these findings in clinical settings.