Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to identify characteristic genes associated with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). METHODS: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and hub genes in key module were identified using the limma package and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) in R software, respectively. The intersection of these genes was then subjected to LASSO regression to pinpoint characteristic genes. The correlation between immune cell infiltration and these characteristic genes was further elucidated using single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis and Spearman correlation analysis. RESULTS: A total of 113 DEGs were identified, along with their associated biological pathways. From this pool, five characteristic genes-ADH1B, CCL27, ID4, LRP4 and S100A9-were selected and validated. Immune infiltration analysis revealed significant correlations between these genes and various immune cell types, particularly with CCL27, ID4, LRP4 and S100A9. CONCLUSION: The identification of characteristic genes for cSCC provides valuable insights into its molecular mechanisms. The correlations between these genes and immune cell infiltration suggests their potential roles in tumor immunity.