Blatkiewicz Małgorzata, Kamiński Kacper, Szyszka Marta, Al-Shakarchi Zaid, Olechnowicz Anna, Stelcer Ewelina, Komarowska Hanna, Tyczewska Marianna, Klimont Anna, Karczewski Marek, Wierzbicki Tomasz, Mikołajczyk-Stecyna Joanna, Ruchała Marek, Malendowicz Ludwik K, Ruciński Marcin
Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-781 Poznan, Poland.
Doctoral School, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-812 Poznan, Poland.
Biomedicines. 2023 Apr 21;11(4):1233. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11041233.
Zwilch kinetochore protein (ZWILCH) plays a key role in proper cell proliferation. The upregulation of the gene was observed in many types of cancers, but the association of ZWILCH with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) was not investigated so far. The main aim of the presented study was to verify if the enhanced level of the gene can be used as a diagnostic marker for ACC development and progression, as well as a predictor of survival time for ACC patients. The performed analyses included investigation of the expression profile in tumors with publicly available TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) datasets and transcriptomic data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, as well as, in human biological samples of normal adrenal, adrenocortical carcinoma and in commercially available tissue microarrays. The findings demonstrate statistically significant higher gene expression in ACC tissue in comparison with normal adrenal glands. Furthermore, there is a strong correlation between upregulation and tumor mitotic rate and the probability of patient survival. The enhanced level is also connected with the activation of genes involved in cell proliferation and the inhibition of genes related to the immune system. This work contributes to a better understanding of the role of ZWILCH as an ACC biomarker and diagnostic tool.
兹维奇动粒蛋白（ZWILCH）在细胞正常增殖中起关键作用。在多种癌症类型中均观察到该基因上调，但ZWILCH与肾上腺皮质癌（ACC）的关联至今尚未得到研究。本研究的主要目的是验证该基因水平升高是否可用作ACC发生发展的诊断标志物，以及ACC患者生存时间的预测指标。所进行的分析包括利用公开可用的癌症基因组图谱（TCGA）数据集和基因表达综合数据库（GEO）中的转录组数据，对肿瘤中的基因表达谱进行研究，同时也对正常肾上腺、肾上腺皮质癌的人体生物样本以及市售组织微阵列进行研究。研究结果表明，与正常肾上腺相比，ACC组织中的基因表达在统计学上显著更高。此外，基因上调与肿瘤有丝分裂率以及患者生存概率之间存在很强的相关性。该基因水平升高还与参与细胞增殖的基因激活以及与免疫系统相关的基因抑制有关。这项工作有助于更好地理解ZWILCH作为ACC生物标志物和诊断工具的作用。
