Protein-Protein Interaction Network Analysis for a Biomarker Panel Related to Human Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND: Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is one of the mostlethal cancers in the world with a very poor prognosis. Identification of molecular diagnostic methods is an important goal. Since protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis is a suitable method for molecular assessment, in the present research a PPI network related to EAC was targeted. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Cytoscape software and its applications including STRING DB, Cluster ONE and ClueGO were applied to analyze the PPI network. RESULT: Among 182 EAC-related proteins which were identified, 129 were included in a main connected component. Proteins based on centrality analysis of characteristics such as degree, betweenness, closeness and stress were screened and key nodes were introduced. Two clusters were determined of which only one was significant statistically. Gene ontology revealed 50 terms in three groups associated with EAC. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate nine crucial proteins could form a candidate biomarker panel for EAC. Furthermore, an important cluster with 27 proteins related to the disease was identified. Gene ontology analysis of this cluster showed main related terms to closely correspond with those for colorectal cancer.