Abstract
Background Increasing evidence has indicated that the nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C member 2 (NR3C2) may be associated with tumorigenesis and patient prognosis for certain types of tumors. However, the clinical significance of NR3C2 is unclear in invasive breast carcinoma (BRCA). Methods We used bioinformatics to broadly investigate and obtain a deeper understanding of the prognostic significance between NR3C2 and BRCA. RNA-sequencing data and clinical information of patients with BRCA from the Cancer Genome Atlas database were collected for subsequent analysis. The diagnostic efficacy of NR3C2 was evaluated by calculating the receiver operating characteristic curve. The prognostic value of NR3C2 was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis for patients with BRCA. Moreover, the OSbrca database was used to validate NR3C2 as a prognostic biomarker for BRCA. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and tumor immune infiltration analysis were conducted to explore the molecular mechanism of NR3C2 in BRCA. Results The expression level of NR3C2 in BRCA tissues decreased compared to that in normal breast tissues (P < 0.001). NR3C2 presented good diagnostic efficacy (AUC = 0.908). Moreover, the expression of NR3C2 was verified using the Oncomine database. High expression of NR3C2 was statistically associated with prolonged overall survival (HR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.47-0.91, and P = 0.012), progression-free interval (HR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.49-0.95, and P = 0.024), and disease-specific survival (HR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.36-0.89, and P = 0.015) for patients with BRCA. Besides, the prognostic value of NR3C2 was verified by the OSbrca database. GSEA results suggested that enriched pathways included neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, and ECM-receptor interaction. NR3C2 expression was moderately correlated with mast cells and some T cell subsets in BRCA. Conclusion NR3C2 is a potential prognostic biomarker that could help clinicians develop more appropriate treatment plans for individual patients with BRCA.
Highlights
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide
Low NR3C2 expression was associated with poor prognosis in patients with nonmetastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma [10] and colon adenocarcinoma [13]
We explored the prognostic values of NR3C2 expression in breast carcinoma (BRCA)
Summary
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide. In 2017, the global incidence of breast cancer rose to 1,960,681 cases, making it the third most common cancer in the world [1]. As a supplement to clinical and pathological characteristics, prognostic biomarkers are increasingly urgently needed to help clinicians develop more appropriate treatment plans for individual patients with breast cancer. The clinical significance of NR3C2 is unclear in invasive breast carcinoma (BRCA). The prognostic value of NR3C2 was evaluated by KaplanMeier analysis and Cox regression analysis for patients with BRCA. The OSbrca database was used to validate NR3C2 as a prognostic biomarker for BRCA. High expression of NR3C2 was statistically associated with prolonged overall survival (HR = 0:65, 95% CI: 0.47-0.91, and P = 0:012), progression-free interval (HR = 0:68, 95% CI: 0.49-0.95, and P = 0:024), and disease-specific survival (HR = 0:57, 95% CI: 0.36-0.89, and P = 0:015) for patients with BRCA. The prognostic value of NR3C2 was verified by the OSbrca database. NR3C2 is a potential prognostic biomarker that could help clinicians develop more appropriate treatment plans for individual patients with BRCA
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