Journal of Biomedical Advancement Scientific Research

Abstract

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that chronic intestinal colonization by Blastocystis hominis may influence host inflammation and epithelial homeostasis, potentially contributing to colorectal carcinogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms linking parasitic infection and tumorigenesis remain poorly understood.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the shared molecular pathways and potential biomarker candidates connecting B. hominis infection and colorectal cancer (CRC) using an integrative bioinformatics approach.

Materials and Methods: Transcriptomic datasets of B. hominis–infected intestinal tissues and CRC samples were obtained from the GEO and TCGA databases. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using limma and DESeq2, followed by overlap analysis, functional enrichment, and protein–protein interac tion (PPI) network construction. Hub genes were ranked via MCODE and cytoHubba algorithms. Diagnostic performance was validated using ROC analysis

Results: A total of 114 shared DEGs (73 upregulated, 41 downregulated) were identified, mainly enriched in NF-κB, IL-17, JAK/STAT, and tight junction pathways. PPI analysis revealed five hub genes, IL6, CXCL8, STAT3, MMP9, and TNF, as central regulators of inflammation and epithelial remodeling. ROC analysis demonstrated strong diagnostic accuracy for IL6 (AUC = 0.89) and CXCL8 (AUC = 0.86), indicating their potential as dual-purpose biomarkers in infection-associated CRC.

Conclusions: This integrative in silico study highlights convergent inflammatory and immune-regulatory mechanisms between B. hominis infection and colorectal cancer. The shared molecular signatures identified may serve as valuable leads for biomarker development and future mechanistic studies exploring infection-driven carcinogenesis.