Bioinformatics analysis of the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthases (iNOS/NOS2) in human glioma and its correlation with patients’ prognoses

Abstract

Abstract Objective To evaluate the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthases (iNOS/NOS2) in human glioma and its correlation with patients’ prognoses. Methods IiNOS/NOS2 expression in tumor and corresponding normal tissues of glioma patients was analyzed using the TCGA database and the online analysis tool GEPIA. The mutation statuses of iNOS/NOS2 genes were also explored in the TCGA database using cBioPortal. Co-expressed genes relevant to iNOS/NOS2 were screened by LinkedOmics. Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway enrichment for iNOS/NOS2 and co-expressed genes was performed using LinkedOmics. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) outcomes between iNOS/NOS2 mRNA high and low expression groups were compared using a log-rank test. Twenty-two glioma patients who underwent operation were included in the present work. A real-time PCR assay was used to detect iNOS/NOS2 mRNA expression in tumor tissue and normal brain tissue. Results There was no statistical difference in iNOS/NOS2 mRNA expression levelss between tumor and normal tissues of glioma. A real-time PCR assay indicated that iNOS/NOS2 mRNA expression in tumor tissue and normal brain tissues were not statistical difference (p>0.05). A mutation rate of 0.8% for the iNOS/NOS2 gene was found using 1044 glioma patients from two datasets. The mutation types include deep deletion (0.4%), truncating (0.2%) and missense (0.2%). The top positive and negative co-expressed gene with iNOS/NOS2 were COL25A1 (rpearson=0.4734, p<0.05) and ALCAM (rpearson=0.4734, p<0.05), respectively. For KEGG pathway analysis, iNOS/NOS2 was mainly enriched in calcium signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, GnRH signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway and pathways in cancer. The overall survival (HR=2.0, p<0.05) and disease-free survival (HR=1.6, p<0.05) values were significantly different between iNOS/NOS2 high and low expression groups. Conclusion OS and DFS were significantly decreased in high iNOS/NOS2 mRNA expression groups. iNOS/NOS2 can be used as a poor prognostic biomarker for glioma.