Investigating Novel Biomarkers in Endometrial Cancer – A Study on RT-qPCR and Immunohistochemistry
-
Rong Li
,
Ying Yan
,
Fei Liu
,
Xiaoyu Gao
,
Xianling Fu
,
Luona Hu
,
Yanhong Li
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the expression patterns of HOXB9, DLX5, NGR1, and GATA6 in endometrial cancer tissues compared to adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Using RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry, the researchers found significant upregulation of HOXB9, DLX5, and NGR1, and downregulation of GATA6 in endometrial cancer samples. The biomarker expression levels correlated with clinicopathological features, and survival analysis revealed that high expression of HOXB9, DLX5, and NGR1 was associated with poorer prognosis, while high GATA6 expression indicated better outcomes. These findings suggest that these biomarkers may play crucial roles in endometrial cancer development and progression, highlighting their potential as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic targets.
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2. Crotzer HM, van Deven EMS. Endometrial cancer. In: StatPearls \[Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Apr 20.
3. Feinberg J, Albright BB, Black J, Bell S, Zahurak ML, Tanner EJ, et al. Ten-year comparison study of type 1 and 2 endometrial cancers: risk factors and outcomes. Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2019;84(3):290-7.
4. Chelmow D, Pearlman A, Huh WK, Armstrong DK, Brown HL, Creasman WT, et al. Executive summary of the uterine cancer evidence review conference. Obstet Gynecol. 2022;139(4):626-43.
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7. Zhang X, Sun B, Zhao C, Ma Y, Yuan Y, Gu Y, et al. DLX5 promotes osteosarcoma progression via activation of the NOTCH signaling pathway. Am J Cancer Res. 2021;11(6):3354-70.
8. Zhou Q, Liu J, Dai X, Li C, Wang Y, Li Y, et al. Distinct expression and prognostic values of GATA transcription factor family in human ovarian cancer. J Ovarian Res. 2022;15(1):49.
9. Zhao L, Wang Y, Liu Y, Li Y, Sun H, Zhang C, et al. Comprehensive analysis of HOX family genes in endometrial cancer. Transl Cancer Res. 2023;12(12):3728-42.
10. Wan J, Liu H, Feng Q, Liu J, Ming L. HOXB9 promotes endometrial cancer progression by targeting E2F3. Cell Death Dis. 2018;9(5):509.
11. Bellessort B, Bachelot A, Heude E, Alfama G, Fontaine A, Le Cardinal M, et al. Dlx5 and Dlx6 control uterine adenogenesis during post-natal maturation: possible consequences for endometriosis. Hum Mol Genet. 2016;25(1):97-108.
12. Tan Y, Testa JR. DLX genes: roles in development and cancer. Cancers (Basel). 2021;13(12):3005.
13. Zhao Y, Liu H, Fan X, Xu J, Hou D, Shen T, et al. Effects of GATA6-AS/MMP9 on malignant progression of endometrial carcinoma. J BUON. 2021;26(5):1789-95.
14. Shi M, MacLean JA, Hayashi K. The involvement of peritoneal GATA6+ macrophages in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Front Immunol. 2024;15:1396000.
15. Song Y, Ye M, Zhou J, Wang Z, Zhu X. GATA6 is overexpressed in breast cancer and promotes breast cancer cell epithelial–mesenchymal transition by upregulating slug expression. Exp Mol Pathol. 2015;99(3):617-27.
16. Yang L, Chen Y. Circ\_0008717 sponges miR-326 to elevate GATA6 expression to promote breast cancer tumorigenicity. Biochem Genet. 2023;61(2):578-96.
17. Sun Z, Yan B. Multiple roles and regulatory mechanisms of the transcription factor GATA6 in human cancers. Clin Genet. 2020;97(1):64-72.
18. Ligero M, Ruiz-Barrios R, Echarri A, Pérez-López E, Valverde C, Suárez C, et al. Artificial intelligence-based biomarkers for treatment decisions in oncology. Trends Cancer. 2025;11(7):567-80.
19. Fountzilas E, Lee S, Liu B, Huang K, Tan W, Yao J, et al. Convergence of evolving artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques in precision oncology. NPJ Digit Med. 2025;8(1):75.
20. Passaro A, Corti C, Guarini V, Rolfo C, Peters S, de Braud F, et al. Cancer biomarkers: emerging trends and clinical implications for personalized treatment. Cell. 2024;187(7):1617-35.
2. Crotzer HM, van Deven EMS. Endometrial cancer. In: StatPearls \[Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Apr 20.
3. Feinberg J, Albright BB, Black J, Bell S, Zahurak ML, Tanner EJ, et al. Ten-year comparison study of type 1 and 2 endometrial cancers: risk factors and outcomes. Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2019;84(3):290-7.
4. Chelmow D, Pearlman A, Huh WK, Armstrong DK, Brown HL, Creasman WT, et al. Executive summary of the uterine cancer evidence review conference. Obstet Gynecol. 2022;139(4):626-43.
5. Weinstein JN, Collisson EA, Mills GB, Shaw KR, Ozenberger BA, Ellrott K, et al. The cancer genome atlas pan-cancer analysis project. Nat Genet. 2013;45(10):1113-20.
6. Xu Y, Zhu Y, Chen Y, Xu Q, Liu J, Xie S, et al. Identification of HOXB9 to predict prognosis of endometrial cancer based on comprehensive bioinformatics analysis. Eur J Med Res. 2023;28(1):79.
7. Zhang X, Sun B, Zhao C, Ma Y, Yuan Y, Gu Y, et al. DLX5 promotes osteosarcoma progression via activation of the NOTCH signaling pathway. Am J Cancer Res. 2021;11(6):3354-70.
8. Zhou Q, Liu J, Dai X, Li C, Wang Y, Li Y, et al. Distinct expression and prognostic values of GATA transcription factor family in human ovarian cancer. J Ovarian Res. 2022;15(1):49.
9. Zhao L, Wang Y, Liu Y, Li Y, Sun H, Zhang C, et al. Comprehensive analysis of HOX family genes in endometrial cancer. Transl Cancer Res. 2023;12(12):3728-42.
10. Wan J, Liu H, Feng Q, Liu J, Ming L. HOXB9 promotes endometrial cancer progression by targeting E2F3. Cell Death Dis. 2018;9(5):509.
11. Bellessort B, Bachelot A, Heude E, Alfama G, Fontaine A, Le Cardinal M, et al. Dlx5 and Dlx6 control uterine adenogenesis during post-natal maturation: possible consequences for endometriosis. Hum Mol Genet. 2016;25(1):97-108.
12. Tan Y, Testa JR. DLX genes: roles in development and cancer. Cancers (Basel). 2021;13(12):3005.
13. Zhao Y, Liu H, Fan X, Xu J, Hou D, Shen T, et al. Effects of GATA6-AS/MMP9 on malignant progression of endometrial carcinoma. J BUON. 2021;26(5):1789-95.
14. Shi M, MacLean JA, Hayashi K. The involvement of peritoneal GATA6+ macrophages in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Front Immunol. 2024;15:1396000.
15. Song Y, Ye M, Zhou J, Wang Z, Zhu X. GATA6 is overexpressed in breast cancer and promotes breast cancer cell epithelial–mesenchymal transition by upregulating slug expression. Exp Mol Pathol. 2015;99(3):617-27.
16. Yang L, Chen Y. Circ\_0008717 sponges miR-326 to elevate GATA6 expression to promote breast cancer tumorigenicity. Biochem Genet. 2023;61(2):578-96.
17. Sun Z, Yan B. Multiple roles and regulatory mechanisms of the transcription factor GATA6 in human cancers. Clin Genet. 2020;97(1):64-72.
18. Ligero M, Ruiz-Barrios R, Echarri A, Pérez-López E, Valverde C, Suárez C, et al. Artificial intelligence-based biomarkers for treatment decisions in oncology. Trends Cancer. 2025;11(7):567-80.
19. Fountzilas E, Lee S, Liu B, Huang K, Tan W, Yao J, et al. Convergence of evolving artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques in precision oncology. NPJ Digit Med. 2025;8(1):75.
20. Passaro A, Corti C, Guarini V, Rolfo C, Peters S, de Braud F, et al. Cancer biomarkers: emerging trends and clinical implications for personalized treatment. Cell. 2024;187(7):1617-35.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 24 No 6 (2025) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/ijaai.v24i6.20159 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Biomarkers DLX5 Endometrial cancer GATA6 HOXB9 Immunohistochemistry NGR1 Prognosis qPCR RT | ||
| Rights and permissions | |
|
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
How to Cite
1.
Li R, Yan Y, Liu F, Gao X, Fu X, Hu L, Li Y. Investigating Novel Biomarkers in Endometrial Cancer – A Study on RT-qPCR and Immunohistochemistry. Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2025;24(6):808-817.
