AUTHOR=Zhou Bo , Yu Jiazi , Cai Xingchen , Wu Shugeng 

TITLE=Constructing a molecular subtype model of colon cancer using machine learning 

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2022.1008207

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2022.1008207

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=Background: Colon cancer (CRC) is one of the malignant tumors with high incidence in the world. Many previous studies on CRC have focused on clinical research. With the in-depth study of CRC, the role of molecular mechanisms in CRC is increasingly important. Currently, machine learning is widely used in medicine. By combining machine learning with molecular mechanisms, we can better understand CRC's pathogenesis and develop new treatments for it. 
Methods and Materials: We used the R language to construct molecular subtypes of colon cancer and subsequently explored prognostic genes with GEPIA2. Enrichment analysis used by WebGestalt to obtain differential genes. Protein-protein interaction networks of differential genes were constructed using the STRING database and cytoscape tool. TIMER2.0 and TISIDB databases were used to investigate the correlation of these genes with immune infiltrating cells and immune targets. cBioportal database was used to explore genomic alterations.
Results: In our study, the molecular prognostic model of CRC was constructed to study the prognostic factors of CRC, and finally it was found that Charcot-Leyden crystal galectin (CLC), zymogen granule protein 16 (ZG16), leucine rich repeat containing (LRRC26), intelectin 1 (ITLN1), UDP-GlcNAc: betaGal beta-1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 6 (B3GNT6), chloride channel accessory 1 (CLCA1), growth factor independent 1 transcriptional repressor (GFI1), aquaporin 8 (AQP8), HEPACAM family member 2 (HEPACAM2), UDP glucuronosyltransferase family 2 member B15 (UGT2B15) were correlated with subtype model of CRC prognosis. Enrichment analysis shows that differential genes were mainly associated with immune-inflammatory pathways. GFI1 and CLC were associated with immune cells and immunoinhibitor and immunostimulator. Genomic analysis shows that no significant changes in differential genes.
Conclusion: By constructing molecular subtypes of colon cancer, we discovered new colon cancer prognostic markers, which can provide direction for new treatments in the future.