Identification of Immune-Related Hub Genes in Multiple Myeloma

Abstract Purpose:: Multiple myeloma(MM) is a common malignant tumor in the blood system. Despite recent advances in its treatment, its symptomatic remission rate and survival rate are still not optimistic. In the future, it is necessary to continue to search for different treatment targets and new treatment methods in order to improve the quality of life and survival time of patients with MM. The study aims to explore the potential immune related pivotal genes and immune infiltration patterns in MM. Methods: The study included peripheral blood samples from patients with MM who our hospital from October 2020 to April 2022. Obtain a gene chip for research from a comprehensive gene expression database, perform differential expression analysis on the processed gene dataset, and then perform functional enrichment analysis, weighted gene co expression network analysis, GSEA immune infiltration analysis, and LASSO regression analysis on the obtained differential expression genes to obtain the hub genes. Finally, the hub gene TNFSF14 (LIGHT) was validated by qRT-PCR. Results: In the study, three immune-related hub genes (ADAM8, CR2, and TNFSF14) and three main types of peripheral immune cells (activated CD8 T cells, macrophages, and plasma cell like dendritic cells) were obtained, which are closely related to the pathogenesis of MM. Then, by collecting peripheral blood samples from some patients in our hospital and conducting real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, it was confirmed that the hub gene TNFSF14 (LIGHT) mined in this study was highly expressed in peripheral blood samples from patients with MM, which may indicate that it plays a pathogenic role in MM. Conclusion: The study found that immune-related hub genes (ADAM8, CR2, and TNFSF14) are closely related to the pathogenesis of MM, and should be further researched.