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J Cancer 2024; 15(5):1271-1286. doi:10.7150/jca.88765 This issue Cite

Research Paper

A pan-cancer characterization of immune-related NFIL3 identifies potential predictive biomarker

Qin Fei¹, Xiaojun Zhang¹, Shutong Wang², Guang Shu¹, Gang Yin^1,3,4✉

1. Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China.
2. Department of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.
3. National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
4. China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.

✉ Corresponding author: E-mail: gangyinedu.cn.

Abstract

Background: Nuclear factor interleukin 3 (NFIL3) mainly focuses on the regulation of the circadian rhythm and immune system. However, the potential role of NFIL3 in human cancers has not been studied extensively.

Methods: We retrieved original data from the TCGA, TARGET, and GTEx datasets via the UCSC Xena browser (http://genome.ucsc.edu/) and integrated them using R version 3.6.4. NFIL3 expression was assessed using resources such as UCSC, GEPIA (http://gepia.cancer-pku.cn/), Kaplan-Meier Plotter (KM Plotter; https://kmplot.com/), and the Human Protein Atlas (HPA; https://www.proteinatlas.org/) databases. To investigate the prognostic implications of NFIL3, we utilized GEPIA, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, and PrognoScan (http://www.abren.net/PrognoScan/) datasets. For a comprehensive analysis across multiple cancer types, we employed pan-cancer data from UCSC, examining associations between NFIL3 expression and genomic heterogeneity, tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), tumor purity, and neoantigens. Furthermore, we explored the relationships between NFIL3 expression and the infiltration of immune cells and the expression of immune checkpoint genes. In the context of ovarian cancer, we validated the expression and functional relevance of NFIL3. Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK8) assays were conducted to assess cell proliferation, while scratch and transwell assays were employed to evaluate cell migration capabilities. We further examined the interaction between NFIL3 and the p53 signaling pathway through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence confocal, and Coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays.

Results: In general, NFIL3 expression in cancerous tissues exhibited diminished levels when compared to normal tissue samples. Notably, NFIL3 expression demonstrated a robust correlation with several pivotal aspects, including prognosis, immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint-related genes, TMB, MSI, tumor purity, and the presence of neoantigens. Experimental investigations involving scratch assays, transwell assays, and assessments of cell proliferation in ovarian cancer cells have provided indications that NFIL3 may exert influence over cell migration and proliferation processes. Moreover, a substantial association between NFIL3 and the p53 signaling pathway was discerned through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, with subsequent validation through qRT-PCR, Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence confocal, and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays.

Conclusions: Therefore, we concluded NFIL3 may serve as a possible prognostic and immunological pan-cancer biomarker.

Keywords: NFIL3, prognosis, tumor microenvironment, immune infiltration, immunotherapy, pan-cancer analysis

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