Abstract
Background: DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) family and ten-eleven-translocation (TET) family enzymes play pivotal roles in regulating DNA methylation, and are closely related to diverse cancers. This study was designed to clarify the specific roles of DNMT and TET genes in pan-cancers.Methods: The expression, mutation, copy number variations (CNVs), cancer-related pathways, immune cell infiltration correlation, and prognostic potential of DNMT/TET genes were systematically investigated in 33 cancer types using next-generation sequence data from the Cancer Genome Atlas database. Results: DNMT3B was more highly expressed in the majority of tumors analyzed than in normal tissues. Most DNMT/TET genes were frequently mutated in uterine carcinosarcoma, and TET1 and TET2 showed higher mutation frequencies in various cancer types. DNMT3B exhibited inclusive copy number amplification in almost all cancers, such as stomach adenocarcinoma(STAD) and colon adenocarcinoma(COAD)l, while most DNMT/TET genes displayed highly copy number deletion in kidney chromophobe(KICH). DNMT/TET genes were mainly involved in the following cancer-related pathways: UV response DN, mitotic spindle, cholesterol homeostasis, TGF beat signaling, xenobiotic metabolism, G2/M checkpoint, and E2F targets. DNMT/TET genes were significantly correlated with NK cells, CD4 positive T cells, and Tfh cells. Additionally, Most DNMT/TET genes were significantly associated with lower survival rates of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), mesothelioma, and liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC), but played a protective role in thymoma (THYM). Furthermore, overexpression of most DNMT genes, except for DMAP1, was associated worse prognoses in pan-cancer. Conclusion: These results suggest that DNMT/TET genes can serve as potential predictors for prognosis and treatment in pan-cancer, providing new insight for future study.