Identification of Hub Genes Contribute to both Stemness and ER/PR Deprivation in Breast Cancer

Stemness is a crucial reason for breast cancer (BC) metastasis and recurrence. The deprivation of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) aggravates the situation and result in limited treatment options. However, the relationship between stemness and the ER/PR expression remains poorly investigated. In this study, we conducted weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) using the TCGA database's transcriptomic profiles. 34 genes are revealed as hub genes that positively correlated with the stemness index (mRNAsi) and negatively correlated with ER/PR expressions. The predominantly bio-function of hub genes is the cell cycle regulation. Almost all hub genes are excellent predictors for BC patient prognosis. Besides, small molecules including MS-275, and camptothecin, were predicted to hold the potential to reduce stemness and up-regulate ER/PR expressions accordingly. Generally, this study revealed genomic characteristics of stemness in BC and provided insights into the association between stemness and ER/PR deprivation.