Wang Yue, Liu Juan, Xu Jiaxue, Ji Zhaodong
Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Discov Oncol. 2025 Jun 6;16(1):1021. doi: 10.1007/s12672-025-02878-5.
Aurora kinases (AURKs), members of the serine/threonine kinases gene family, have been implicated in various human cancers, including lung cancer. However, the expression and clinical significance of AURKA, AURKB, and AURKC in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain unclear.
Comprehensive bioinformatics analyses were conducted using databases such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), and Kaplan-Meier Plotter. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on tissue microarrays (TMAs) from 29 lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients. AURKA/B knockdown and overexpression cell models were successfully established in LUAD cells. The proliferative capacity of the stable cells was assessed using colony formation assays and CCK-8 assays.
AURKA and AURKB were upregulated in lung cancer tissues compared to normal, while AURKC was downregulated. High expression of AURKA and AURKB was associated with advanced tumor stage and poor survival outcomes in LUAD patients. AURKA and AURKB expression levels correlated with immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint genes, suggesting potential roles in immunotherapy. In vitro experiments have demonstrated that AURKA and AURKB played crucial roles in promoting proliferation of LUAD cells.
This study highlights the prognostic value of AURKA and AURKB in NSCLC, particularly LUAD, and identifies them as potential therapeutic targets or prognostic biomarkers.
极光激酶(AURKs)是丝氨酸/苏氨酸激酶基因家族的成员,与包括肺癌在内的多种人类癌症有关。然而,AURKA、AURKB和AURKC在非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)中的表达及临床意义仍不清楚。
使用癌症基因组图谱(TCGA)、基因表达谱交互式分析(GEPIA)和Kaplan-Meier Plotter等数据库进行综合生物信息学分析。对29例肺腺癌(LUAD)患者的组织芯片(TMAs)进行免疫组织化学(IHC)检测。在LUAD细胞中成功建立了AURKA/B敲低和过表达细胞模型。使用集落形成试验和CCK-8试验评估稳定细胞的增殖能力。
与正常组织相比,肺癌组织中AURKA和AURKB上调,而AURKC下调。AURKA和AURKB的高表达与LUAD患者的晚期肿瘤分期和不良生存结果相关。AURKA和AURKB表达水平与免疫细胞浸润和免疫检查点基因相关,提示在免疫治疗中的潜在作用。体外实验表明,AURKA和AURKB在促进LUAD细胞增殖中起关键作用。
本研究强调了AURKA和AURKB在NSCLC,特别是LUAD中的预后价值,并将它们确定为潜在的治疗靶点或预后生物标志物。