ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the role of casein kinase 1 gamma 2 (CSNK1G2) in the development and progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC).Methods:Based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), LinkedOmics and UALCAN were used to analyze the relationship among the mRNA expression of CSNK1G2, methylation, copy number variation and clinical indicators in HNSC, as well as to analysis CSNK1G2 related co-expression genes and proteins. The expression of CSNK1G2 in HNSC was verified by RT-qPCR experiments of clinical samples. Protein interaction network analysis on CSNK1G2 expression-related proteins was performed using STRING database.Results:UALCAN analysis showed that the expression of CSNK1G2 mRNA in HNSC was higher than that in normal tissues ( P<0.001), and the expression of CSNK1G2 mRNA was up-regulated in lower differentiation and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)-positive HNSC (all P<0.05). But in HNSC with different pathological stages, different age stages and different lymph node metastasis stages (N stage), there was no difference in the amount of CSNK1G2 mRNA expression (all P>0.05). The RT-qPCR experiment confirmed the increased expression of CSNK1G2 mRNA in HNSC. LinkedOmincs analysis results showed that CSNK1G2 mRNA expression was positively correlated with CSNK1G2 copy number variation ( P<0.001) and negatively correlated with methylation ( P<0.001). Survival analysis results showed that high CSNK1G2 mRNA expression and copy number mutations predicted better survival ( P=0.033, P=0.015), while methylation levels were not associated with survival ( P=0.458). Gene set enrichment analysis results showed that CSNK1G2-related co-expression genes were mainly in DNA replication. The STRING's protein interaction network analysis results showed that TP53, CHEK1, and CHEK2 may be key proteins. These proteins are significantly associated with high expression levels of CSNK1G2. Conclusions:CSNK1G2 may cooperate with TP53, CHEK1 and CHEK2 related proteins to promote the development of HNSC and tumor proliferation, but does not affect the metastasis and spread of HNSC. An increase in the expression of CSNK1G2 in HNSC may indicate a better survival prognosis.