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Updated: Jul 27, 2026
Analyzing Tumor Gene Expression Factors with the CorExplorer Web Portal
Published on: October 11, 2019
[Bioinformatics-based analysis of SLC1A5 expression in melanoma: clinical significance and immune microenvironment
Xuhong Chen1, Shuaiting Liu1, Ruolin Luo2
1Medical Research Center, Southern University of Science and Technology Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
Abstract:
Objective Through integrated omics analysis of melanoma clinical samples, this study aims to investigate the clinical significance of solute carrier family 1 member 5 (SLC1A5) expression and its correlation with the tumor immune microenvironment. Methods Transcriptomic data from melanoma tissues in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and other databases were analyzed. Cox regression and log-rank tests were used to evaluate the correlation between SLC1A5 expression and patient survival. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to explore potential functional mechanisms. The correlation between SLC1A5 expression and clinicopathological characteristics, immune infiltration and immunomodulatory molecule expression were systematically analyzed. Results Metastatic melanoma exhibited significantly higher SLC1A5 expression than primary melanoma. Elevated SLC1A5 expression correlated with worse overall survival (OS), progression-free interval (PFI) and disease-free interval (DFI) in melanoma patients. GSEA revealed significant enrichment of metastasis-related pathway, anti-apoptotic process, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling and immunomodulatory pathway in SLC1A5-high tumors. Furthermore, SLC1A5 expression correlated with immune infiltration (T cells, monocytes and M2-type macrophages), and positively correlated with immune checkpoint molecules [cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA4), poliovirus receptor-like 2 (PVRL2)], chemokines [C-C motif chemokine ligand 18 (CCL18), CCL20] and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), while negatively correlating with T cell chemokines [C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 9 (CXCL9)/CXCL10/CXCL11]. Conclusion SLC1A5 serves as an independent prognostic biomarker in melanoma. Its overexpression may shape an immunesuppressive microenvironment by dysregulating immune molecules expression and cellular infiltration, ultimately facilitating immune escape and malignant progression.
