Pan-cancer analysis identified CD248 as a potential target for multiple tumor types

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Tumors are a leading cause of death globally, often due to late diagnosis.
• Current cancer treatments face challenges in efficacy and incur significant financial burdens.
• Identifying early prognostic biomarkers is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of CD248 in pan-cancer analysis.
• To assess CD248's diagnostic and prognostic potential across various tumor types.
• To explore CD248's functional impact on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) progression.

Main Methods:

• Bioinformatic analysis using databases like Human Protein Atlas, GEPIA2, cBioPortal, and TIMER.
• Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot to measure CD248 mRNA and protein levels in HNSC cell lines.
• Functional assays including transwell, scratch wound healing, and EdU assays to evaluate CD248's effect on HNSC cell invasion, migration, and proliferation.

Main Results:

• CD248 expression is significantly elevated in various cancers, correlating with advanced stage and poor prognosis.
• Genetic alterations in CD248 are associated with adverse patient outcomes.
• CD248 is primarily expressed on stromal fibroblasts, positively correlating with immune cell infiltration.
• Inhibition of CD248 suppressed invasion, migration, and proliferation in HNSC cells.

Conclusions:

• High CD248 expression is implicated in pan-cancer progression, immune cell infiltration, and patient prognosis.
• CD248 significantly influences tumor cell functions such as invasion, migration, and proliferation.
• CD248 represents a potential novel oncoprotein and a promising therapeutic target for various cancers.