Unique clinical features and transcriptomic profiling of carcinogenesis in patients with familial lung cancer in Yunnan Province, Wumeng mountains, China.

BACKGROUND

Inherited genomic susceptibility and associated transcriptomic patterns are crucial players in lung cancer etiology. Lung cancer susceptibility is getting rising attention in carcinogenesis. The present study aimed to investigate unique clinical features and transcriptomic profile in patients with familial lung cancer (FLC) in Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, Wumeng-Mountain area of China.

METHODS

1,823 local lung cancer patients were enrolled (762 FLC, 1061 Sporadic). Clinicopathologic parameters were analyzed and summarized. 43 lung tissue samples (the adjacent nonmalignant tissue) were selected for Transcriptome/RNA-seq, the differential gene expression patterns were analyzed, significant functions and pathways were enriched and studied.

RESULTS

Our FLC cohort showed unique characters: younger age; increased rate of adenocarcinoma, and early-stage cases; unbalance in blood types, anatomic sites and co-existing diseases; highlighted with significantly elevated comorbidity and early-onset of hypertension in FLC + population. Notably, our FLC + group exhibited a higher rate of bilateral lung cancers and multiple pulmonary nodules; beside, were more likely to develop different cysts, polyps, hyperplasia at a younger age. The transcriptome found that immune-related functions & pathways were significantly enriched in the familial cohort. E.g. "immune cells recruitment" with higher Neutrophils/ lower CD4 memory T cells. Collectively, these transcriptomic differences suggested: individuals with FLC may have baseline alterations in immune regulation, which could reflect a compromised immune surveillance or dysregulated inflammatory tone in their normal lung tissue. For the key gene, MUC16 may contribute to this process by influencing the assembly, structure & dynamical functions of pulmonary epithelial cilium; which could potentially impair mucociliary clearance, leading to prolonged retention of pollutants and carcinogens in the lung microenvironment.

CONCLUSIONS

Hereditary factors likely contribute to the susceptibility to both lung cancer and hypertension in this population, while chronic exposure to local air pollution may further promote their early-onset and comorbidity. Our findings highlighted the potential significance of MUC16 in familial lung cancer or even early-onset lung cancer; and provided useful data for early screening and personalized treatment strategies for lung cancer.