Significance of mucin type glucosaminyl (N-acetyl) transferase 3 expression in lung squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract Background: The clinical significance and role of glycan synthase glucosamine (N-acetyl) transferase 3 (GCNT3) has not been investigated in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC).Materials & Methods: In the present study, multiple detection technologies including tissue microarrays, external microarrays and RNA-seq were adopted for evaluating the clinic-pathological significance of GCNT3 in 1632 LUSC samples and 1478 non-cancer samples. Standard mean difference and hazard ratio value were calculated from all included datasets for assessing differential expression and prognostic value of GCNT3 in LUSC. The molecular basis underlying GCNT3 in LUSC was also explored through methylation level, genetic mutation and functional enrichment analysis of GCNT3-correlated genes in LUSC. Results: GCNT3 was obviously upregulated in LUSC samples. GCNT3 overexpression exerted unfavorable impact on the progression-free survival and overall survival of LUSC patients from GSE29013. The mRNA expression of GCNT3 was negatively correlated with methylation level of GCNT3 in LUSC and the predominant type of genetic alteration for GCNT3 in LUSC was mRNA high. Genes correlated with GCNT3 in LUSC mainly assembled in pathways such as adherens junction, p53 signaling pathway, protein digestion and absorption pathway. Conclusions: In conclusion, overexpressed GCNT3 had clinical potential as therapeutic target for LUSC.