Objectives: This study aimed to explore the expression, clinical significance, and functional mechanism of FYN in lower-grade gliomas (LGG).
Methods: The mRNA and protein expression of FYN in LGG tissues were detected using databases including OncoLnc, GEPIA, and Human protein atlas (HPA). The UCSC Xena browser, TIMER, STRING and Metascape databases were used to investigate Kaplan-Meier survival curves, correlations between FYN expression and various types of immune cell infiltration, protein interaction network and possible functional mechanism.
Results: FYN expression in LGG, IDH mutation or 1p19q co-deletion subgroup was significantly higher than in corresponding control groups (p < 0.05). Patients with higher FYN expression had longer overall survival (p < 0.05). Male or no 1p19q co-deletion groups with higher FYN expression also had longer overall survival (p < 0.05). FYN expression had close correlation with infiltrating levels of cell purity, CD4+T cells, macrophages, and CD8+T cells (p < 0.05). Protein interaction network result showed correlation among FYN, SH2D1A, LCK, CAV1, SRC, CBL and PTK2. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that FYN and its related genes mainly participated in bacterial invasion of epithelial cells and natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity. Peptidyl-tyrosine phosphorylation, negative regulation of anoikis, immune effector process, transmembrane receptor protein tyrosine kinase signaling pathway, epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway, and negative regulation of protein modification process may be the critical biological process.
Conclusions: FYN is up-expressed in LGG and related to its good prognosis. It participated in tumor pathophysiological processes and may be a therapeutic target for LGG.
Keywords: FYN; bioinformatics; functional mechanism; lower-grade gliomas; prognosis.