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Updated: Jan 27, 2026
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3-D Cell Culture System for Studying Invasion and Evaluating Therapeutics in Bladder Cancer
Published on: September 13, 2018
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Exploring ZPLD1 as a Prognostic Indicator and Therapeutic Target in Bladder Cancer.
Yiwen Chen1, Hanliang Zhu1, Meiting Lao2
1Department of Urology, Longgang District Central Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518166, Guangdong Province, China.
Current Medicinal Chemistry
|January 26, 2026
Summary
Zona-Pellucida-like Domain-containing Protein 1 (ZPLD1) is a novel biomarker for bladder cancer (BLCA). High ZPLD1 indicates poor prognosis and influences immune response and drug sensitivity in BLCA patients.
Area of Science:
- Uro-oncology
- Molecular diagnostics
- Cancer biomarkers
Background:
- Bladder cancer (BLCA) has a rising incidence and poor prognosis, necessitating new prognostic markers and therapeutic targets.
- The extracellular-matrix gene Zona-Pellucida-like Domain-containing Protein 1 (ZPLD1) has not been previously studied in BLCA.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression, prognostic value, immune contexture, and druggability of ZPLD1 in BLCA.
- To establish ZPLD1 as a potential biomarker for risk stratification and therapeutic targeting in BLCA.
Main Methods:
- Multi-level integrative analysis of TCGA-BLCA and GSE121711 datasets.
- RNA-seq, differential expression analysis, survival analysis (Kaplan-Meier, Cox regression), GSEA, ssGSEA, ESTIMATE, and qRT-PCR.
- Correlation analysis with cancer stemness, drug sensitivity, and genomic alterations.
Main Results:
- ZPLD1 was significantly upregulated in BLCA tissues and served as a diagnostic marker (AUC=0.704).
- High ZPLD1 independently predicted poorer overall and disease-specific survival.
- ZPLD1 correlated with immune cell infiltration (Th1, macrophages, neutrophils), immune checkpoints (PD-L1, CTLA-4, LAG-3, PD-1), reduced cancer stemness, and altered sensitivity to specific chemotherapies and targeted agents.
Conclusions:
- ZPLD1 is a novel, independent prognostic biomarker for poor outcomes in BLCA.
- ZPLD1 influences the tumor immune microenvironment and drug response, suggesting its role in risk stratification.
- ZPLD1 represents a potential therapeutic target for precision oncology strategies in BLCA, requiring further validation.
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