
Full text loading...
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a significant global health challenge due to its high incidence and mortality rates. The disease's complexity and heterogeneity impede early diagnosis and effective treatment. The study aims to investigate the role of Tetraspanin 11 (TSPAN11) in CRC, exploring its potential as a prognostic biomarker and immunotherapy target through bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation.
Pan-cancer patient data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the GSE71187 dataset, including 672 CRC tissues and 51 adjacent normal tissues. Differential expression analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), and immune infiltration assessment were performed. TSPAN11 expression was validated in CRC cell lines using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR).
TSPAN11 was significantly downregulated in CRC tissues compared to normal tissues (p < 0.001), with lower expression associated with poorer overall survival (OS; p = 0.011) and disease-specific survival (DSS; p = 0.038). Multivariate analysis identified TSPAN11 as an independent prognostic factor (p = 0.045). TSPAN11 expression was linked to key pathways such as ECM receptor interaction and TGF-β signaling, and correlated with immune infiltration, immune checkpoint genes, tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and drug sensitivity.
The findings suggest that TSPAN11 may influence CRC progression through multiple biological pathways and immune-related mechanisms. Its downregulation is associated with poorer prognosis and immune evasion, highlighting its potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target. However, validation in larger cohorts and elucidation of underlying mechanisms are needed to confirm these results and translate them into clinical practice.
TSPAN11 may serve as a promising prognostic biomarker and immunotherapy target in CRC. Its associations with clinical outcomes, immune features, and drug sensitivity underscore its potential for improving CRC diagnosis and treatment strategies.
Article metrics loading...
Full text loading...
References
Data & Media loading...
Supplements