Low SFXN1 Expression Predicts Poor Clinical Outcomes and Promotes Tumor Aggressiveness in Colon Adenocarcinoma

Sideroflexin 1 (SFXN1), predominantly localized in the inner mitochondrial membrane, exhibits differential expression across various tumor types. However, its specific role in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic significance of SFXN1 in COAD. The expression and prognostic value of SFXN1 in COAD were evaluated using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Bioinformatics analyses were conducted to assess the relationships between SFXN1 expression and clinical stage, prognosis, and immune infiltration in COAD. The biological role of SFXN1 in COAD was further validated through in vivo and in vitro experiments. SFXN1 was found to be expressed at low levels in COAD. Reduced SFXN1 expression was significantly associated with poor clinical outcomes in COAD patients. Furthermore, SFXN1 expression correlated with immune infiltration and immune checkpoint regulation in COAD. Functional experiments demonstrated that SFXN1 inhibition enhanced the proliferation, migration, and invasion of COAD cells, whereas SFXN1 overexpression suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Low SFXN1 expression is associated with an unfavorable clinical prognosis in COAD. Targeting SFXN1 may offer a promising avenue for developing personalized and more effective therapeutic strategies for patients with COAD.