Identification of Key Hub Genes Associated with Breast Cancer Stem Cells to Overcome Therapy Resistance

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most common and fatal malignancies in women. The presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which play a crucial role in metastasis, therapeutic resistance, and disease recurrence, presents a major treatment challenge. Identifying CSCs-specific therapeutic targets...

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Main Authors: Mobina Khorshidi, Hamed Manoochehri, Mahdi AAlikhani, Maryam Ezatzadeh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Bushehr University of Medical Sciences 2025-06-01
Series:Iranian South Medical Journal
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Online Access:http://ismj.bpums.ac.ir/article-1-2142-en.pdf
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author Mobina Khorshidi
Hamed Manoochehri
Mahdi AAlikhani
Maryam Ezatzadeh
author_facet Mobina Khorshidi
Hamed Manoochehri
Mahdi AAlikhani
Maryam Ezatzadeh
author_sort Mobina Khorshidi
collection DOAJ
description Background: Breast cancer is one of the most common and fatal malignancies in women. The presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which play a crucial role in metastasis, therapeutic resistance, and disease recurrence, presents a major treatment challenge. Identifying CSCs-specific therapeutic targets through systems biology approaches can lead to more effective treatment strategies Materials and Methods: Three gene expression datasets related to breast cancer— GSE7513 (Cancer stem/non-stem cells), GSE15852 (tumor/normal tissues), and GSE76540 (doxorubicin resistant/sensitive cells)— were obtained from the GEO database. Data were analyzed using GEO2R, DAVID, STRING, and Cytoscape. Hub genes were identified based on network parameters (GSE7513 and GSE15852 datasets) and compared with differentially expressed genes in GSE76540. Additionally, gene expression levels, treatment response prediction, and drug–gene interactions were evaluated using TNMplot, ROC Plotter, and DGIdb. Results: Gene expression data from the datasets included 1446, 344, and 1826 DEGs in GSE7513, GSE15852, and GSE76540, respectively. Comparative analysis between GSE7513 and GSE15852 identified 75 common DEGs. Protein– protein interaction network analysis output was three clusters and seven hub genes, four of them overlapped with DEGs in GSE76540. AGR2, GATA3, and KRT19 genes were selected based on TNM. KRT19 and GATA3 were associated with patients' response to treatment. According to the DGIdb, GATA3 is a potentially druggable target with existing therapeutic compounds. Conclusion: This study suggests that GATA3 may serve as a biomarker for predicting treatment response and as a potential therapeutic target in breast cancer.
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spelling doaj-art-b89aad96225b4902bd1aa5e64f0f3a5a2025-08-20T03:45:45ZengBushehr University of Medical SciencesIranian South Medical Journal1735-43741735-69542025-06-01275394408Identification of Key Hub Genes Associated with Breast Cancer Stem Cells to Overcome Therapy ResistanceMobina Khorshidi0Hamed Manoochehri1Mahdi AAlikhani2Maryam Ezatzadeh3 Student Research Committee, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran<br>Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Paramedicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Paramedicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran Student Research Committee, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran<br>Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Paramedicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran Background: Breast cancer is one of the most common and fatal malignancies in women. The presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which play a crucial role in metastasis, therapeutic resistance, and disease recurrence, presents a major treatment challenge. Identifying CSCs-specific therapeutic targets through systems biology approaches can lead to more effective treatment strategies Materials and Methods: Three gene expression datasets related to breast cancer— GSE7513 (Cancer stem/non-stem cells), GSE15852 (tumor/normal tissues), and GSE76540 (doxorubicin resistant/sensitive cells)— were obtained from the GEO database. Data were analyzed using GEO2R, DAVID, STRING, and Cytoscape. Hub genes were identified based on network parameters (GSE7513 and GSE15852 datasets) and compared with differentially expressed genes in GSE76540. Additionally, gene expression levels, treatment response prediction, and drug–gene interactions were evaluated using TNMplot, ROC Plotter, and DGIdb. Results: Gene expression data from the datasets included 1446, 344, and 1826 DEGs in GSE7513, GSE15852, and GSE76540, respectively. Comparative analysis between GSE7513 and GSE15852 identified 75 common DEGs. Protein– protein interaction network analysis output was three clusters and seven hub genes, four of them overlapped with DEGs in GSE76540. AGR2, GATA3, and KRT19 genes were selected based on TNM. KRT19 and GATA3 were associated with patients' response to treatment. According to the DGIdb, GATA3 is a potentially druggable target with existing therapeutic compounds. Conclusion: This study suggests that GATA3 may serve as a biomarker for predicting treatment response and as a potential therapeutic target in breast cancer.http://ismj.bpums.ac.ir/article-1-2142-en.pdfbreast neoplasmcancer stem cellschemoresistancesystems biologyprotein– protein interaction
spellingShingle Mobina Khorshidi
Hamed Manoochehri
Mahdi AAlikhani
Maryam Ezatzadeh
Identification of Key Hub Genes Associated with Breast Cancer Stem Cells to Overcome Therapy Resistance
Iranian South Medical Journal
breast neoplasm
cancer stem cells
chemoresistance
systems biology
protein– protein interaction
title Identification of Key Hub Genes Associated with Breast Cancer Stem Cells to Overcome Therapy Resistance
title_full Identification of Key Hub Genes Associated with Breast Cancer Stem Cells to Overcome Therapy Resistance
title_fullStr Identification of Key Hub Genes Associated with Breast Cancer Stem Cells to Overcome Therapy Resistance
title_full_unstemmed Identification of Key Hub Genes Associated with Breast Cancer Stem Cells to Overcome Therapy Resistance
title_short Identification of Key Hub Genes Associated with Breast Cancer Stem Cells to Overcome Therapy Resistance
title_sort identification of key hub genes associated with breast cancer stem cells to overcome therapy resistance
topic breast neoplasm
cancer stem cells
chemoresistance
systems biology
protein– protein interaction
url http://ismj.bpums.ac.ir/article-1-2142-en.pdf
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AT hamedmanoochehri identificationofkeyhubgenesassociatedwithbreastcancerstemcellstoovercometherapyresistance
AT mahdiaalikhani identificationofkeyhubgenesassociatedwithbreastcancerstemcellstoovercometherapyresistance
AT maryamezatzadeh identificationofkeyhubgenesassociatedwithbreastcancerstemcellstoovercometherapyresistance