Expression, Prognostic Value, and Immune Infiltration of MTHFD Family in Bladder Cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Genetics
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• The Methylenetetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase (MTHFD) family's role in various tumors is established, but its specific involvement in bladder cancer remains largely uncharacterized.
• Understanding the MTHFD family's function in bladder cancer is crucial for identifying new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role and prognostic significance of the Methylenetetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase (MTHFD) gene family in bladder cancer.
• To explore the association between MTHFD family expression and clinical parameters, patient prognosis, and immune infiltration in bladder cancer.

Main Methods:

• Bioinformatic analyses were conducted using R software, cBioPortal, GeneMANIA, and String-LinkedOmics.
• Gene expression, protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, and functional enrichment analyses were performed.
• Associations with clinical data and immune cell infiltration were assessed.

Main Results:

• MTHFD1, MTHFD1L, and MTHFD2 were significantly upregulated in bladder cancer tissues compared to normal tissues.
• High MTHFD family expression correlated with advanced clinical grading, staging, and significantly worse patient prognosis.
• Functional analysis revealed MTHFD family involvement in oncogenic pathways (cell cycle, DNA replication) and association with immune cells (Treg) and molecules (TNFSF9, CD274, PDCD1).

Conclusions:

• The MTHFD gene family is implicated in bladder cancer development and progression.
• MTHFD family genes represent potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for bladder cancer.
• Further research into MTHFD family's role in the tumor immune microenvironment is warranted.