Integrated transcriptomics approach identifies the upregulated SLC7A5, and associated pathways across different thyroid cancer cell types

Abstract

Thyroid cancer is the most common type of endocrine malignancy, and its aggressive types are diagnosed at advanced stage due to limited treatment options. This study aimed to identify upregulated SLC7A5 across thyroid cancer cell types using an integrated transcriptomics approach. Total RNA was extracted from different samples. Differential expression analysis was performed through DESeq2. Functional enrichment analyses were performed to explore key pathways. The PPI network was built using the STRING database to investigate the functional relationships among significantly differentially expressed genes. Differential expression analysis revealed that SLC7A5 was significantly upregulated in KTC-1. GO and KEGG analyses were enriched with cell adhesion, protein binding, extracellular exosome, RNA processing, ECM-receptor interactions, and focal adhesion. The PPI network analysis showed the interaction of SLC7A5 with TERF1, CARD10, PSAT1, SIRPA, and MYC. Western blot analysis revealed that expression of mTOR was not elevated in KTC-1. Overall, these results could provide valuable insights for further validation in thyroid cancer therapy.