The Mclust Analysis of Tumor Budding Unveils the Role of the Collagen Family in Cervical Cancer Progression

Abstract

In RNA-seq data analysis, condensing the gene count matrix size is pivotal for downstream investigations, particularly pathway analysis. For this purpose, harnessing machine learning attracts increasing interest, while conventional methodologies depend on p-value comparisons. In this study, 20 tissue samples from real-world cervical cancers were subjected to sequencing, followed by the application of the Mclust algorithm to delineate an optimal cluster. By stratifying tumor budding into high and low groups and quantifying the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) score to scrutinize tumor budding, we discerned 24 EMT-related genes, with 5 showing strong associations with cervical cancer prognosis. Our observations elucidate a biological flow wherein EMT, Matrix Metallopep-tidase 2 (MMP2), and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation are interconnected, ultimately leading to collagen type VI and exacerbating the prognosis of cervical cancer. The present study underscores an alternative method for selecting useful EMT-related genes by employing an appropriate clustering algorithm, thereby avoiding classical methods while unveiling novel insights into cervical cancer etiology and prognosis. Moreover, when comparing high and low tumor budding, collagen type VI emerges as a potential gene marker for the prognosis of cervical cancer.