Upregulation of ESPL1 is associated with poor prognostic outcomes in endometrial cancer

Abstract

Background: Extra spindle pole bodies-like 1 (ESPL1) is known to play a crucial role in the segregation of sister chromatids during mitosis. Overexpression of ESPL1 is considered to have oncogenic effects in various human cancers. However, the specific biological function of ESPL1 in endometrial cancer (EC) remains unclear. Methods: The TCGA and GEO databases were utilized to assess the expression of ESPL1 in EC. Immunohistochemistry was utilized to detect separase expression in EC samples. Survival analysis, Cox regression, and correlation analysis were performed to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic significance of ESPL1 in EC. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was employed to explore the potential signaling pathway of ESPL1 in EC. Cell proliferation and colony formation ability were analyzed using CCK-8 and colony formation assay. Results: Our analysis revealed that ESPL1 is significantly upregulated in EC, and its overexpression is associated with advanced clinical characteristics and unfavorable prognostic outcomes. Suppression of ESPL1 attenuated proliferation of EC cell line. Conclusion: The upregulation of ESPL1 is associated with advanced disease and poor prognosis in EC patients. These findings suggest that ESPL1 has the potential to serve as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in EC, highlighting its significance in the management of EC patients.