DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.23183578
title: A bioinformatics analysis of the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of <i>FAM64A</i> mRNA expression in gynecological cancers

description: FAM64A is a mitotic regulator which promotes cell metaphase-anaphase transition and is highly expressed in a cell-cycle-dependent manner. In this study, we examined the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of <i>FAM64A</i> mRNA expression in gynecological cancers. We conducted a bioinformatics analysis of <i>FAM64A</i> mRNA expression using Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), xiantao, The University of ALabama at Birmingham CANcer data analysis Portal (UALCAN), and Kaplan-Meier (KM) plotter databases. <i>FAM64A</i> expression was elevated in breast, cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers when compared with normal tissue. Expression was positively correlated with white race, low T stages, infiltrating ductal carcinoma, or favourable PAM50 classification in breast cancer patients, and with clinical stage, histological grade and TP53 mutation, and endometrial cancer serous subtype. <i>FAM64A</i> expression was negatively associated with overall and/or recurrence-free survival rates in breast and endometrial cancer patients, while the opposite was observed in cervical and ovarian cancer patients. <i>FAM64A</i> functioned as an independent predictor of overall and disease-specific survival in breast cancer patients. <i>FAM64A</i>-correlated genes were involved in ligand-receptor interactions, and chromosomal, cell cycle, and DNA replication processes in breast, cervical, endometrial and ovarian cancers. Top hub genes primarily included cell cycle-related proteins in breast cancer, mucins and acetylgalactosaminyl transferases in cervical cancer, kinesin family members in endometrial cancer, and synovial sarcoma X and the cancer/testis antigen in ovarian cancer. <i>FAM64A</i> mRNA expression was positively related to Th2 cell infiltration, but negatively associated with neutrophil and Th17 cell infiltration in breast, cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. <i>FAM64A</i> expression may be considered a potential biomarker reflecting carcinogenesis, histogenesis, aggressive behaviour, and prognosis in gynecological cancers.Impact statement<b>What is already known on this subject?</b> FAM64A is located in cell nucleolar and nucleoplasmic regions, and during mitosis it putatively controls metaphase-to-anaphase transition. FAM64A appears to regulate different physiological processes, including apoptosis, tumorigenesis, neural differentiation, stress responses, and the cell cycle.<b>What</b><b>the results of this study add?</b><i>FAM64A</i> expression was up-regulated in breast, cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers, and positively correlated with white race, low T stages, infiltrating ductal carcinoma, or favourable PAM50 classification in breast cancer patients, and with clinical stage, histological grade, and TP53 mutation, and a serous subtype in endometrial cancer. <i>FAM64A</i> expression was negatively associated with overall and/or recurrence-free survival rates in breast and endometrial cancer patients, while the opposite was observed in cervical and ovarian cancer patients. <i>FAM64A</i> functioned as an independent predictor of overall and disease-specific survival in breast cancer. <i>FAM64A</i>-correlated genes were involved in ligand-receptor interactions, chromosomal, cell cycle, and DNA replication processes, while <i>FAM64A</i> mRNA expression was positively related to Th2 cell infiltration but negatively correlated with neutrophil and Th17 cell infiltration in four gynecological cancers.<b>What</b><b>the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research?</b> In the future, abnormal <i>FAM64A</i> mRNA expression may serve as a biomarker of carcinogenesis, histogenesis, aggressiveness, and prognosis in gynecological malignancies. <b>What is already known on this subject?</b> FAM64A is located in cell nucleolar and nucleoplasmic regions, and during mitosis it putatively controls metaphase-to-anaphase transition. FAM64A appears to regulate different physiological processes, including apoptosis, tumorigenesis, neural differentiation, stress responses, and the cell cycle. <b>What</b><b>the results of this study add?</b><i>FAM64A</i> expression was up-regulated in breast, cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers, and positively correlated with white race, low T stages, infiltrating ductal carcinoma, or favourable PAM50 classification in breast cancer patients, and with clinical stage, histological grade, and TP53 mutation, and a serous subtype in endometrial cancer. <i>FAM64A</i> expression was negatively associated with overall and/or recurrence-free survival rates in breast and endometrial cancer patients, while the opposite was observed in cervical and ovarian cancer patients. <i>FAM64A</i> functioned as an independent predictor of overall and disease-specific survival in breast cancer. <i>FAM64A</i>-correlated genes were involved in ligand-receptor interactions, chromosomal, cell cycle, and DNA replication processes, while <i>FAM64A</i> mRNA expression was positively related to Th2 cell infiltration but negatively correlated with neutrophil and Th17 cell infiltration in four gynecological cancers. <b>What</b><b>the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research?</b> In the future, abnormal <i>FAM64A</i> mRNA expression may serve as a biomarker of carcinogenesis, histogenesis, aggressiveness, and prognosis in gynecological malignancies.