Radiotherapy is mainly a traditional treatment for breast cancer; however, the key genes and pathways in breast cancer associated with irradiation are not clear. In this study, we aimed to explore the messenger RNA expression changes between preradiation and postradiation breast cancer. The gene expression data set (GSE59733) was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database. According to |log₂FC (fold change) | ≥ 1 and with false discovery rate adjusted P value <.05, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened and annotated by R programming software. The protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was conducted through STRING database, and subnetworks and hub genes were extracted by plug-in in Cytoscape. A total of 82 DEGs (74 upregulated and 8 downregulated genes) were identified. These DEGs mainly enriched in an intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway and G-protein-coupled receptor binding. What’s more, tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway and interleukin 17 signaling pathway abnormally activated in postradiation tumor samples. Two characteristic subnetworks and 3 hub genes (FOS, CCL2, and CXCL12) were strongly distinguished in PPI network. Moreover, the expression level of the hub genes was confirmed in irradiated MCF-7 cell and SUM-159 cell using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. These findings imply that these hub genes may play momentous function in breast cancer to irradiation.

放射疗法主要是乳腺癌的传统治疗方法。但是，与辐射有关的乳腺癌的关键基因和途径尚不清楚。在这项研究中，我们旨在探讨在放疗前和放疗后乳腺癌之间信使RNA表达的变化。基因表达数据集（GSE59733）从Gene Expression Omnibus数据库下载。根据| log ₂ FC（倍数更改）| ≥1且错误发现率已调整P值<.05，通过R编程软件筛选并注释差异表达基因（DEG）。通过STRING数据库进行蛋白质间相互作用（PPI）网络，并通过Cytoscape中的插件提取子网和中心基因。总共鉴定出82个DEG（74个上调的基因和8个下调的基因）。这些DEG主要富集固有的凋亡信号通路和G蛋白偶联受体结合。此外，在放射后肿瘤样品中，肿瘤坏死因子信号通路和白介素17信号通路被异常激活。两个特征性子网和3个集线器基因（FOS，CCL2和CXCL12）在PPI网络中有明显的区别。此外，使用定量实时聚合酶链反应测定法证实了在辐射的MCF-7细胞和SUM-159细胞中毂基因的表达水平。这些发现暗示这些中枢基因可能在乳腺癌的辐射中起重要作用。