Exploring the expression of RPSAP58, RPS18, and VIM genes in uveal melanoma
Description
Uveal (ocular) melanoma is the most common type of eye cancer in adults. To find new approaches to combat uveal melanomas, we identified the ribosomal protein S18 (RPS18), vimentin (VIM), and RPSAP58 as highly expressed in tumors biopsied from patients diagnosed with uveal melanoma. Our aim was to investigate the differential expression of these genes within tumor tissue site, overall patient survival, clinical stage, and disease metastasis. To achieve this, we used the R2 Genomics Analysis and Visualization Platform (R2) by accessing two datasets. The first uveal melanoma dataset allowed to divide the samples into stage 2a (n=4), stage 2b (n=32), stage 3a (n=27), stage 3b (n=10), stage 3c (n=3), and stage 4 (n=4). These data were also split by patient vital status (alive, n=67, diseased, n=13), and tumor tissue site: choroid (n=56), choroid/ciliary body (n=22), and choroid/ciliary body/iris (n=2). The second uveal melanoma dataset provided information regarding the presence of metastasis (metastasized, n=24, and non-metastasized, n=33). Results showed that patients with a low expression of RPS18, or RPSAP58, had significantly worse survival probability compared to those with higher RPS18, or RPSAP58, expression, respectively. Likewise, RPSAP58 expression was more likely to be linked with metastasized uveal melanoma. VIM analysis revealed an inverse relationship with tumor progression through different clinical stages, while also being significantly higher in specimens from alive patients. The differences in gene expression, explored in this study, point towards RPS18, VIM, and RPSAP58 as potential markers for uveal melanoma disease progression and may help predict patient outcomes.
Citation Information
Kaliyur, Vedhant and Ananieva-Stoyanova, Elitsa, "Exploring the expression of RPSAP58, RPS18, and VIM genes in uveal melanoma" (2026). Office of Research DMU Research Symposium. 85.
https://digitalcommons.dmu.edu/researchsymposium/2025rs/2025abstracts/85
Exploring the expression of RPSAP58, RPS18, and VIM genes in uveal melanoma
Uveal (ocular) melanoma is the most common type of eye cancer in adults. To find new approaches to combat uveal melanomas, we identified the ribosomal protein S18 (RPS18), vimentin (VIM), and RPSAP58 as highly expressed in tumors biopsied from patients diagnosed with uveal melanoma. Our aim was to investigate the differential expression of these genes within tumor tissue site, overall patient survival, clinical stage, and disease metastasis. To achieve this, we used the R2 Genomics Analysis and Visualization Platform (R2) by accessing two datasets. The first uveal melanoma dataset allowed to divide the samples into stage 2a (n=4), stage 2b (n=32), stage 3a (n=27), stage 3b (n=10), stage 3c (n=3), and stage 4 (n=4). These data were also split by patient vital status (alive, n=67, diseased, n=13), and tumor tissue site: choroid (n=56), choroid/ciliary body (n=22), and choroid/ciliary body/iris (n=2). The second uveal melanoma dataset provided information regarding the presence of metastasis (metastasized, n=24, and non-metastasized, n=33). Results showed that patients with a low expression of RPS18, or RPSAP58, had significantly worse survival probability compared to those with higher RPS18, or RPSAP58, expression, respectively. Likewise, RPSAP58 expression was more likely to be linked with metastasized uveal melanoma. VIM analysis revealed an inverse relationship with tumor progression through different clinical stages, while also being significantly higher in specimens from alive patients. The differences in gene expression, explored in this study, point towards RPS18, VIM, and RPSAP58 as potential markers for uveal melanoma disease progression and may help predict patient outcomes.
