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Lipid Metabolism-Related Genes Define Prognosis and Therapeutic Targets in Thyroid Cancer
Tianze Wang1, Boyuan Nan1, Qila Sa1
1Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic, Spleen, and Thyroid Surgery, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Shenyang, 110000, China.
Background:
Altered lipid metabolism is increasingly recognized as a driver of tumor progression, yet its specific role in thyroid cancer remains unclear.
Methods:
We combined Mendelian randomization with transcriptomic and single-cell analyses to identify lipid-related factors that contribute to thyroid cancer development. A lipid-metabolism gene signature was constructed to evaluate its prognostic value, and functional assays were used to examine the biological role of ACBD7.
Results:
Lipid-related metabolites showed genetic evidence of causal relevance to thyroid cancer. We identified a set of lipid-metabolism genes that were consistently dysregulated in tumors and developed a nine-gene signature that stratified patient prognosis with high accuracy. The high-risk group displayed stronger lipid pathway activation, a distinct immune landscape, and a higher BRAF mutation rate. ACBD7 knockdown reduced thyroid cancer cell growth, invasion, and migration, suggesting a functional link between lipid metabolism and tumor aggressiveness.
Conclusions:
Lipid metabolic dysregulation contributes to thyroid cancer progression and may help refine clinical risk assessment. The nine-gene signature and the functional relevance of ACBD7 highlight the potential of lipid-targeted strategies in future therapeutic development.
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