EXO1 as a potential biomarker for prognosis, immune infiltration, and immunotherapy in pan-cancer analysis

Human EXO1 is a 5' → 3' exonuclease that plays a critical role in regulating cell cycle checkpoints, maintaining replication forks and participating in post-replication DNA repair pathways. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of EXO1 in cancers such as liver and breast cancer. However, there is a gap in the comprehensive analysis of EXO1 in a wide range of cancers, and its precise role in cancer patient prognosis and immune response remains unclear. This study aims to systematically investigate the potential associations between EXO1, immune infiltration and prognostic value in different cancer types and to gain a deeper understanding of its mechanisms of action.We conducted a comprehensive investigation into the overarching role of EXO1 across various cancers by utilizing multiple databases. Our analysis encompassed scrutinizing EXO1 expression and evaluating its correlation with clinical survival, immune checkpoints, Tumor Stemness Score, Prognostic Value, immunomodulators, genomic profiles, immunological characteristics, immunotherapy, and functional enrichment. EXO1 is expressed in various normal tissues and at significantly higher levels in most tumors compared to non-tumor tissues. High EXO1 expression is associated with poor prognosis in certain cancers. Genetic mutations and RNA modifications of EXO1 were also investigated, as well as its correlation with tumor immunity and genomic stability. We investigated the potential role of EXO1 in immunotherapy and identified differing drug responses based on EXO1 expression levels in Skin Cutaneous Melanoma (SKCM), which holds promise for personalized treatment. Furthermore, we analyzed EXO1-related genes and pathways, revealing its potential involvement in crucial biological processes such as DNA repair and cell cycle regulation. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of EXO1 in cancer initiation and progression, offering valuable insights for personalized cancer therapy and precision medicine. This study highlights the diverse functions of EXO1 in cancer, including its involvement in cancer initiation, prognosis, immune regulation, and response to immunotherapy. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential of EXO1 as a biomarker and therapeutic target, as well as its role in determining treatment response in cancer management. This information is crucial for guiding personalized cancer therapy and precision medicine.