Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis of Differentially Expressed RNA-Binding Proteins in Human Gliomas

Gliomas are complex and among the most lethal central nervous system (CNS) disorders. While they are notoriously heterogeneous, evidences suggest critical involvement of intricate interactions between RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and their diverse partners, in the pathogeneses of gliomas. In this study, we used RNA sequencing data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). After selection of differentially expressed RBPs from these DEGs, systematic investigation of their transcriptomic changes during glioma progression was undertaken. Extensive in silico assessments allowed the creation of their interactome and pathway, identifying potential biological effects of these differentially expressed RBPs. Construction of regulatory networks of these differentially expressed RBPs and their topological analysis discovered key RBPs such as PABPC1, EIF4A2, RPS3, EEF1A1, RPS6, ELAVL2, CPEB1, and CELF5, which are largely involved in alternative splicing and ribosomal biogenesis. Moreover, we also identified differentially expressed RBPs such as YBX1, ELAVL2, and IGF2BP1, which may be involved in the formation of stress granules in gliomas. We also identified highly mutated RBPs, such as RPSA, RPL5, CPEB4, and SMAD7, in gliomas. Further, RBPs like RPS8, RPL5, RPS3A, EEF1A1, and EIF4E1B were found to be strongly correlated with patients' overall survival. Taken together, our analyses identified several candidate RBPs which might serve as potential targets for oncological measures against gliomas.