Comprehensive analysis indicates DDX46 as a novel biomarker for the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma

The expression levels of DEAD-box 46 (DDX46) are elevated in several malignancies; however, the function of DDX46 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), including its expression patterns and functional implications, has not been fully elucidated. The present study primarily explores the potential role and underlying mechanism of DDX46 in the malignant progression of LUAD. The present study analyzed both publicly available databases and clinical specimens to assess DDX46 expression in LUAD and explore its prognostic significance. The findings demonstrated that elevated DDX46 expression was associated with a worse prognosis in patients with LUAD in comparison with a low DDX46 expression. Functional assays, including Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation, flow cytometry, wound healing and Transwell assays, indicated that silencing DDX46 suppressed cancer cell migration, enhanced apoptosis, and induced G₀/G₁ phase cell cycle arrest. Moreover, DDX46 expression was correlated with the infiltration of T cells, natural killer cells and monocytes, as well as with several immune checkpoints and chemokines. Additionally, the results identified a marked association between DDX46 and the Wnt signaling pathway in LUAD. Low DDX46 expression was also demonstrated to be associated with increased drug responsiveness in patients. In conclusion, DDX46 holds promise as a dual-purpose marker for the diagnosis and therapy of patients with LUAD.