Bioinformatical analysis identified significant genes in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway relating with poor prognosis of skin cutaneous melanoma

Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) is the most serious form of skin cancer and the reliable genetic prognostic biomarkers are not clear. The purpose of the present academic work was to identify reliable prognostic biomarkers and understand the underlying mechanism. Gene expression profiles of GSE31909, GSE104849 and GSE111766 were available from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). DEGs were collected from 13 melanoma samples and 12 melanocyte samples which were in the three profile datasets by GEO2R analysis. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and KEGG analysis were performed with the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID).We further established protein-protein interaction (PPI) and identify core genes with Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) and Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE) app in Cytoscape software. There were total of 63 consistently expressed genes in the three datasets, including eight up-regulated genes enriched in biological processes like osteoblast differentiation and extracellular matrix organization, and cell component like extracellular space, while 55 down-regulated genes enriched in positive regulation of gene expression, intracellular signal transduction, cell adhesion and apoptotic process. With prognostic information and expression data from UALCAN and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), we identified three significant genes (TNC, SPP1 and KIT). After Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, all three genes were located in the PI3K-Akt Signaling Pathway. Our results provide additional genetic biomarkers for SKCM patients.