Comprehensive analysis of INTS family related to expression, prognosis, diagnosis and immune features in hepatocellular carcinoma

Affiliations

• Department of Science and Education, The Affiliated TCM Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
• Department of Orthopedics, Huizhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Huicheng, Guangdong, China.
• Department of Respiratory Medicine, Taixing Hospital of TCM, Taixing, Jiangsu, China.
• Department of Spinal Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

PMID: 38675761 DOI: PMC11053793 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12040379

Abstract

Methods:Public databases were utilized to investigate the transcriptional and protein expression, and clinical relevance of the INTS family in HCC. Meanwhile, the effects of INTS13 knockdown and overexpression on cell proliferation and apoptosis were studied using HCC cell lines.

Results:The mRNA expression of most INTSs were higher in tumor than normal tissues. Higher expression of INTS1/2/3/4/7/8/9/11/12/13 were correlated with poorer overall survival (OS) in Kaplan-Meier Survival Analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed higher level of INTS13 was an independent prognostic factor for shorter OS. Furthermore, genetic alteration of INTS3/6/7/8/9/10 were found in HCC patients and was associated with shorter disease-free survival and progression-free survival. INTS1/2/3/5/7/11/13/14 were associated with activation of tumor-induced immune response and immune infiltration in HCC. Knockdown of INTS13 inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in HCC cell lines, while overexpression of INTS13 had the opposite effect.

Conclusion:Our results indicate that INTS13 is an independent prognostic biomarker in HCC. Furthermore, INTS13 enhances cell proliferation and decreases cell apoptosis in HCC cell lines leading to a poorer OS in HCC patients.

Keywords:Hepatocellular carcinoma; INTS family; Immune infiltration; Prognosis; Transcription.

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