CTexploreR

CTexploreR re-defines and characterizes Cancer Testis/Germline (CT) genes by integrating publicly available RNAseq databases and providing visualization functions for expression and methylation analysis.

Key Features:

• CT Gene List Curation: Re-defines the list of Cancer Testis/Germline (CT) genes based on RNAseq data from GTEx, CCLE, and TCGA databases.
• Gene Characterization: Summarizes main characteristics of CT genes from integrated public datasets.
• Expression Visualization: Provides visualization functions to explore CT gene expression across different tissue types and cancer cells.
• Methylation Inspection: Enables inspection of promoter methylation status of CT genes in normal tissues.

Scientific Applications:

• Cancer Testis Gene Research: Supports systematic re-evaluation and definition of CT gene catalogs for cancer immunotherapy and biomarker discovery.
• Tissue Expression Profiling: Facilitates comparative analysis of CT gene expression patterns across normal tissues and cancer cell lines.
• Epigenetic Analysis: Enables investigation of promoter methylation as a regulatory mechanism controlling CT gene silencing in normal tissues.

Methodology:

Integrates publicly available RNAseq databases (GTEx, CCLE, and TCGA) to re-define CT gene lists and summarize gene characteristics.