Decreased gene expression of antiangiogenic factors in endometrial cancer : qPCR analysis and machine learning modelling

Roškar, Luka (author), Kokol, Marko (author), Pavlič, Renata (author), Roškar, Irena (author), Smrkolj, Špela (author), Lanišnik-Rižner, Tea (author)

Endometrial cancer (EC) is an increasing health concern, with its growth driven by an angiogenic switch that occurs early in cancer development. Our study used publicly available datasets to examine the expression of angiogenesis-related genes and proteins in EC tissues, and compared them with adjacent control tissues. We identified nine genes with significant differential expression and selected six additional antiangiogenic genes from prior research for validation on EC tissue in a cohort of 36 EC patients. Using machine learning, we built a prognostic model for EC, combining our data with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Our results revealed a significant up-regulation of IL8 and LEP and down-regulation of eleven other genes in EC tissues. These genes showed differential expression in the early stages and lower grades of EC, and in patients without deep myometrial or lymphovascular invasion. Gene co-expressions were stronger in EC tissues, particularly those with lymphovascular invasion. We also found more extensive angiogenesis-related gene involvement in postmenopausal women. In conclusion, our findings suggest that angiogenesis in EC is predominantly driven by decreased antiangiogenic factor expression, particularly in EC with less favourable prognostic features. Our machine learning model effectively stratified EC based on gene expression, distinguishing between low and high-grade cases.

• Language: English
• Keywords: endometrial cancer, angiogenic factor, tumour-adjacent tissue, machine learning, TCGA, LEP
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: 24 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 15, iss. 14, art. 3661
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-185543
• UDC: 616-006
• ISSN on article: 2072-6694
• DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143661
• COBISS.SI-ID: 159457795
• Publication date in RUL: 10.08.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Cancers
• Shortened title: Cancers
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2072-6694
• COBISS.SI-ID: 517914137

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: rak endometrija, angiogeni faktor, tkivo ob tumorju, strojno učenje, TCGA, LEP

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: J3-2535
• Name: Vloga androgenov pri hormonsko odvisnih boleznih: pomen za diagnostiko in zdravljenje

• Funder: University Medical Centre Ljubljana
• Project number: TP 202110160