Bioinformatics Analysis of the Mechanisms by Which NAGLU Regulates Glioblastoma Cell Development

Abstract

To investigate the expression of N-acetyl-α-glucosaminidase (NAGLU) in glioblastoma (GBM) and to understand its relationship with disease progression and prognosis, we screened for differentially expressed genes in GBM progression using the QuickGO and GEPIA 2 online databases and identified the target gene NAGLU. Further analysis was conducted using bioinformatics tools, including the STRING, TIMER 2.0, and UALCAN databases, to analyze the differential expression of NAGLU across various cancer types and its correlation with GBM progression, as well as to predict its association with prognosis. We used the miRNet database to analyze its target miRNAs and lncRNAs and employed Cytoscape v3.10.0 to visualize the potential ceRNA regulatory network. The results showed that 144 genes related to cell developmental processes were retrieved from online databases. Additionally, 7,648 genes were differentially expressed in GBM. Sixty-two differentially expressed genes were involved in the biological processes of GBM cell senescence. Among them, NAGLU was significantly overexpressed in multiple cancers, including GBM, and high NAGLU expression was statistically associated with a significantly worse prognosis in GBM patients. The NAGLU gene encodes 10 interacting proteins, primarily involved in 3 signaling pathways (KEGG), 3 molecular functions (MF), 12 cellular components (CC), and 6 biological processes (BP). We predicted 1 miRNA and 44 lncRNAs targeting NAGLU. The study results indicate that NAGLU is highly expressed in various tumors, including GBM. Its expression also showed significant differences based on patient gender, age, ethnicity, and TP53 mutation status. In GBM progression, NAGLU may function via the lncRNA/miR-1-3p/NAGLU axis, serving as both a prognostic marker and a potential therapeutic target.