Analysis of transcriptomic data from malignant pleural mesothelioma reveals that patient survival correlates with immune response and cell replication misregulation

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis, typically linked to asbestos exposure. This thesis aims to compare transcriptional profiles in MPM patients to identify differentially expressed genes associated with patient survival. Our goal is to discover key genes linked to patient outcomes and uncover the molecular mechanisms driving MPM through studying RNA-Seq data from MPM samples. In this study, transcriptomic data from MPM patients were processed through a comprehensive pipeline, including filtering and normalization for data accuracy. Differential expression analysis and GO enrichment were conducted to compare gene expression between patients with different survival outcomes. A total of 55 key genes were identified in our final analysis. Notable genes include CCNB1, FANCI, and BRCA1, which are heavily involved in cell cycle regulation and DNA replication, particularly in short-survival patients. Additionally, genes like HERC6 and JCHAIN are linked to immune responses, while EPHB6 and MSLN play roles in cell signaling and metabolism. These genes suggest critical pathways influencing MPM progression, particularly related to cell cycle dysregulation and immune modulation. Our focus was on comparing transcriptomic profiles of short-survival patients (survival of less than 12 months) and long-survival patients (survival of more than 36 months). We observed the intermediate-survival group shared transcriptional profiles more closely aligned with the long-survival group. This suggests potential clinical implications for approaching treatment in intermediate-survival patients similarly to long-survival patients. This study highlights several key genes and pathways involved in MPM progression, offering potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for improving treatment strategies and patient outcomes.