Identification of Common Oncogenic Genes and Pathways Both in Osteosarcoma and Ewing’s Sarcoma Using Bioinformatics Analysis

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to explore common oncogenic genes and pathways both in osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma. Methods: Microarray data were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were respectively identified using the limma package, followed by intersection of common DEGs. Then, protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed and hub genes were identified. Furthermore, functional enrichment analysis was analyzed. The expression of common oncogenic genes was validated in 38 osteosarcoma and 17 Ewing’s sarcoma tissues by RT-qPCR and western blot. Results: 201 genes were differentially expressed. There were 121 nodes and 232 edges in the PPI network. 12 genes were considered as hub genes. Functional enrichment analysis results showed that hub genes FN1, COL1A1 and COL1A2 were all involved in extracellular matrix, protease binding and ECM-receptor interaction, which could be involved in the development of osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma. Among common oncogenic genes, FN1, COL1A1 and COL1A2 were lowly expressed both in osteosarcoma and Ewing’ s sarcoma tissues at mRNA and protein levels. Conclusion: Our findings revealed that common oncogenic genes such as FN1, COL1A1 and COL1A2 and pathways were both in osteosarcoma and Ewing’ s sarcoma.