The ion channels and transporters gene expression profile indicates a shift in excitability and metabolisms during malignant progression of Follicular Lymphoma

Sci Rep. 2019 Jun 13;9(1):8586. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-44661-x.

Abstract

The definition of the gene expression profile of genes encoding Ion Channels and Transporters (ICT-GEP) represents a novel and attracting aspect in cancer. We determined the ICT-GEP of Follicular Lymphoma (FL), and compared it with that of the more aggressive Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). cDNA microarray data were collected both from patients enrolled for this study, and from public datasets. In FL the ICT-GEP indicated the overexpression of both the K+ channel encoding gene KCNN4, and SLC2A1, which encodes the Glut1 glucose transporter. SLC2A1 turned out to represent the hub of a functional network, connecting channels and transporters in FL. Relapsed FL patients were characterised by 38 differentially expressed ICT genes, among which ATP9A, SLC2A1 and KCNN4 were under-expressed, indicating a down-regulation of both excitability and glycolysis. A completely different profile of K+ channel encoding genes emerged in DLBCL accompanied by the over-expression of the fatty acid transporter-encoding gene SLC27A1 as well as of the metabolism regulator NCoR1. This indicates a change in excitability and a shift towards an oxidative metabolism in DLBCL. Overall, the ICT-GEP may contribute to identifying novel lymphoma biomarkers related to excitability and metabolic pathways, with particular relevance for drug resistant, relapsed FL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Cohort Studies
  • Databases, Genetic
  • Disease Progression*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Gene Regulatory Networks
  • Humans
  • Ion Channels / genetics*
  • Ion Channels / metabolism
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / genetics*
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / metabolism*
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / pathology
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / genetics
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / metabolism
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / pathology
  • Male
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Middle Aged

Substances

  • Ion Channels
  • Membrane Transport Proteins