Combination of theoretical analysis and experiments: Exploring the role of PLA2G7 in human cancers, including renal cancer

Abstract

BackgroundThe pivotal role of phospholipase A2 group VII (PLA2G7) has been identified in specific human cancers, such as prostate cancer, diffuse large B cell lymphoma, and melanoma. Given PLA2G7's significant involvement in established tumors, exploring its role in other cancers is highly relevant. MethodsIn this study, we acquired and analyzed data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, the UCSC XENA website, and other online platforms including Gene Set Cancer Analysis, cBioPortal, Tumor Immune Estimation Resource, and TISIDB to investigate PLA2G7's role in human cancers, including renal cancer. Furthermore, in vitro experiments, including immunofluorescence, western blotting, and CCK-8 assays, were conducted to elucidate PLA2G7's role in renal cancer. Finally, the relationship between PLA2G7 and various drug sensitivity was explored. ResultsOur findings demonstrate that PLA2G7 is highly expressed and may serve as a valuable candidate biomarker in pan-cancer. PLA2G7 exhibits distinct alteration frequencies across human cancers and is correlated with tumor mutation burden, tumor microenvironment, DNA stemness score, RNA stemness score, tumorigenesis, tumor immunity, and microsatellite instability in pan-cancer. Immunofluorescence and western blotting revealed a relative high level of PLA2G7 protein in renal cancer cell lines (ACHN and 786-O), predominantly localized in the cytoplasm. Treatment with a PLA2G7 gene inhibitor (darapladib) significantly decreased the viability of ACHN and 786-O cell lines. Additionally, we observed an association between PLA2G7 mRNA levels and various drug sensitivity. ConclusionsOur study suggests that PLA2G7 has the potential to serve as a valuable biomarker and therapeutic target for cancer, particularly in the context of renal cancer.