ALDH18A1 Expression Profiling in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer through Bioinformatics and Experimental Approaches

Authors

  • Wurihan Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5373-2845
  • Yirigui School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia, China
  • Jie Cheng Tumor Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia, China https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2977-8671
  • Sarantuya Enkhjargal Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4730-1110
  • Nyamdorj Dagdanbazar School of Bio-medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7646-6865
  • Hanjun Pei Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia, China https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4712-0150
  • Shiirevnyamba Avirmed Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1010-8221
  • Uurtuya Shuumarjav Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9951-2457

Keywords:

Non-small cell lung cancer, ALDH18A1, Immunohistochemistry, Gene Expression , Bioinformatics

Abstract

Objective: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The molecular mechanisms of NSCLC are still not fully understood. This study used bioinformatics analysis of public databases to identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This study used integrated bioinformatics analyses to identify candidate oncogenes associated with in NSCLC. Tissue microarray-based immunohistochemistry was then performed to characterize the protein expression pattern of ALDH18A1 in NSCLC tissues and to preliminarily evaluate its potential as a biomarker. Methods: In this study, TCGA transcriptomic data were analyzed by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), differential expression analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, and random forest analysis to identify ALDH18A1 as a candidate gene in NSCLC. The protein expression of ALDH18A1 was then examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using tissue microarrays (TMAs) containing 80 lung squamous cell carcinoma samples, 52 lung adenocarcinoma samples, and their paired adjacent normal tissues. Results: In this study, WGCNA, differential expression analysis, LASSO regression, and random forest analysis identified ALDH18A1 as a key candidate gene in NSCLC. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the expression level of ALDH18A1 protein was significantly higher in NSCLC tissues than in paired adjacent normal tissues (p < 0.05). Conclusions: ALDH18A1 is markedly upregulated in NSCLC and appears to contribute to tumorigenesis and disease progression, highlighting its promise as a potential diagnostic biomarker and a candidate target for therapeutic intervention.

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Author Biography

Wurihan, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Tumor Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia, China

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Published

2026-05-21

How to Cite

Wurihan, Yirigui, Cheng, J., Enkhjargal, S., Dagdanbazar, N., Pei, H., Avirmed, S., & Shuumarjav, U. (2026). ALDH18A1 Expression Profiling in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer through Bioinformatics and Experimental Approaches. Central Asian Journal of Medical Sciences, 12(2), 58-68. https://doi.org/10.24079/cajms.2026.02.006

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 2 (2026)

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Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Wurihan, Yirigui, Cheng, J., Enkhjargal, S., Dagdanbazar, N., Pei, H., Avirmed, S., & Shuumarjav, U. (2026). ALDH18A1 Expression Profiling in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer through Bioinformatics and Experimental Approaches. Central Asian Journal of Medical Sciences, 12(2), 58-68. https://doi.org/10.24079/cajms.2026.02.006

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