Transcriptome Sequencing Analysis of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma 5-8F Cells Induced by Timosaponin A-III

Objective: To explore the differential gene expression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells induced by Timosaponin A-III and conduct biological information analysis. Methods: Total RNA was extracted from nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells treated with Timosaponin A-III for transcriptome sequencing using Illumina HiSeq 2500. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened by DESeq2, and their functions and signaling pathways were explored using GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis. Results: Differential gene expression analysis revealed 3858 DEGs, including 1077 upregulated and 2781 downregulated genes. The heatmap and volcano plot showed significant changes in the gene expression profile. GO analysis indicated that the DEGs were enriched in biological processes such as regulation of apoptosis, autophagy, lipid metabolism, and redox processes, involving cellular components like cell membrane, cytoplasm, and mitochondria, as well as molecular functions including protein binding and protein kinase activity. KEGG pathway analysis revealed significant enrichment in signaling pathways such as apoptosis, p53, and TNF. Discussion: Timosaponin A-III may exert antitumor effects by activating apoptosis pathways and the p53 pathway. The interaction of these pathways mediates the inhibitory effect on nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Conclusion: This study reveals that Timosaponin A-III inhibits nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through multi-gene and multi-pathway regulation, providing a theoretical basis for further experiments.