Identification of Key Genes in Angiogenesis of Breast and Prostate Cancers in the Context of Different Cell Types

Abstract

Introduction: Angiogenesis involves the development of new blood vessels. Biochemical signals start this process in the body, which is followed by migration, growth, and differentiation of endothelial cells that line the inside wall of blood vessels. This process is vital for the growth of cancer cells and tumors. Materials and Methods: We started our analysis by composing a list of genes that have a validated impact in humans with respect to angiogenesis-related phenotypes. Here, we have investigated the expression patterns of angiogenesis-related genes in the context of previously published single-cell RNA-Seq data from prostate and breast cancer samples. Results: Using a protein-protein interaction network, we showed how different modules of angiogenesis-related genes are overexpressed in different cell types. In our results, genes, such as ACKR1, AQP1, and EGR1, showed a strong cell type-dependent overexpression pattern in the two investigated cancer types, which can potentially be helpful in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with prostate and breast cancer. Conclusion: Our work demonstrates how different biological processes in distinct cell types contribute to the angiogenesis process, which can provide clues regarding the potential application of targeted inhibition of the angiogenesis process.