Multi-omics analysis of key lipid metabolism-related genes involved in the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effect of dihydroartemisinin

This study aimed to identify the candidate genes of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) in acting against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as well as its association with lipid metabolism-related genes (LMRGs), thereby providing a basis for the application of DHA in anti-HCC therapy. METHODS: Potential candidate genes of DHA were predicted using databases. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened from HCC datasets in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Common candidate genes of DHA and HCC were obtained through Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and intersection analysis. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and Gene Ontology (GO) or Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were used to decipher functional pathways. Candidate genes were screened using ensemble models, followed by validation via SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis. Integrating data from LMRG databases, along with gene expression and survival analyses, the key genes were finally identified. RESULTS: A total of 306 candidate genes of DHA and 45 common candidate genes of DHA and HCC were obtained. These common candidate genes were enriched in pathways such as the p53 signaling pathway and cell cycle. 10 candidate genes, including cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2), cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), sulfotransferase family 1E member 1 (SULT1E1), cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), aurora kinase A (AURKA), aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C3 (AKR1C3), cyclin A2 (CCNA2), and heat shock protein 90 alpha family class B member 1 (HSP90AB1) were screened out, with the model achieving an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.961. Among these candidate genes, CYP1A2 and CYP2C19 contributed the most to the model. Three key LMRGs (CYP1A2, CYP2C19, and AKR1C3) were identified, which exhibited abnormal expression in HCC tissues and were associated with the survival of HCC patients. CONCLUSION: Based on analyses of public databases and computational predictions, DHA may exert anti-HCC effects by regulating the p53 signaling pathway, cell cycle progression, and the LMRGs. However, these potential regulatory mechanisms require further experimental validation to confirm their biological relevance.