Prognostic Value of DONSON Expression in Different Tumors and Use of qRT-PCR for the Verification of mRNA Expression in Breast Cancer and Non-Cancer Cell Lines

Abstract

Background: The downstream neighbor of SON (DONSON) plays a pivotal role in cell cycle regulation. To date, its role in cancer has been poorly studied. Methods: In the present study, the relationship between DONSON expression and various cancer prognoses and tumor subgroups was discussed using bioinformatics tools. The relative expression of DONSON in breast cancer cell lines and the normal breast cell line was measured via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The DEPMAP database was used to understand the effects of a DONSON knockdown on tumor cell line growth. The DONSON co-expression network and protein-protein interaction network were studied via LinkedOmics, Genemania, and Metascape. Finally, the comparative toxicogenomics database (CTD) was used to evaluate the correlation between the DONSON transcription level and drug treatment. Results: Data obtained from ONCOMINE, UALCAN, TNM plot, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2.0 (GEPIA 2.0), Kaplan–Meier plotter, PrognoScan, and Breast Cancer Gene-Expression Miner v 4.7 (BC-GenExMiner v 4.7) suggest that DONSON is highly expressed in cancer tissues, abnormally expressed in different tumor subgroups, and related to poor prognosis. The DONSON mRNA (messager ribonucleic acid) levels were increased in breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, T47D, and MDA-MB-468) compared with the normal breast cell line (MCF-10A). Decreased DONSON expression can inhibit the growth ability of many tumor cell lines analyzed by DEPMAP;DONSON may be involved in the development of tumors by regulating cell cycle progression. Conclusions: Overall, DONSON has the potential to serve as a novel prognostic biomarker in human tumors.