SPP1 mRNA Expression Is Associated with M2 Macrophage Infiltration and Poor Prognosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

(1): Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an especially aggressive form of breast cancer defined by a poor prognosis and a lack of effective treatment options. There is a pressing need for validated predictive and prognostic biomarkers to assist in making treatment decisions and improve the progn...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yu-Chia Chen, Chia-Ching Chen, Rong-Fu Chen, Hsin-Hung Chen, Po-Ming Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Current Issues in Molecular Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/46/12/806
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850050894535589888
author Yu-Chia Chen
Chia-Ching Chen
Rong-Fu Chen
Hsin-Hung Chen
Po-Ming Chen
author_facet Yu-Chia Chen
Chia-Ching Chen
Rong-Fu Chen
Hsin-Hung Chen
Po-Ming Chen
author_sort Yu-Chia Chen
collection DOAJ
description (1): Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an especially aggressive form of breast cancer defined by a poor prognosis and a lack of effective treatment options. There is a pressing need for validated predictive and prognostic biomarkers to assist in making treatment decisions and improve the prognostic accuracy for patients with this challenging disease. (2): We analyzed the RNA-seq data from three TNBC tissue samples alongside their corresponding normal tissues. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) identified potential pathways. Additionally, we examined SPP1 mRNA expression datasets available in the Kaplan–Meier plotter and investigated the SPP1 protein expression patterns in our own tissue microarray cohort via immunohistochemistry. (3): The results revealed that genes associated with the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway showed a significant increase in activity in TNBC tissues when compared to normal breast tissues. Furthermore, <i>SPP1</i> expression was found to be elevated in the TCGA TNBC dataset and correlated with a poor prognosis. This pattern was corroborated at the protein level in our TNBC tissue cohort; however, SPP1 protein expression did not demonstrate a significant impact on survival. Notably, <i>SPP1</i> mRNA expression was strongly linked to tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), particularly the M2 macrophage subtype, indicating a substantial association in the context of TNBC. (4): Our research highlights the significance of <i>SPP1</i> mRNA as a key prognostic indicator and a potential molecular responder for TNBC treatment utilizing targeted therapies that focus on Toll-like receptor signaling pathways.
format Article
id doaj-art-3f2dd826dec8470c9ac35cbec9f55504
institution DOAJ
issn 1467-3037
1467-3045
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Current Issues in Molecular Biology
spelling doaj-art-3f2dd826dec8470c9ac35cbec9f555042025-08-20T02:53:19ZengMDPI AGCurrent Issues in Molecular Biology1467-30371467-30452024-11-014612134991351310.3390/cimb46120806SPP1 mRNA Expression Is Associated with M2 Macrophage Infiltration and Poor Prognosis in Triple-Negative Breast CancerYu-Chia Chen0Chia-Ching Chen1Rong-Fu Chen2Hsin-Hung Chen3Po-Ming Chen4Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813414, TaiwanDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua 505, TaiwanDivision of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, TaiwanDepartment of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, No. 386, Dazhong 1st Road, Zuoying District, Kaohsiung 813414, TaiwanResearch Assistant Center, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, No. 542, Section 1, Zhongshan Road, Changhua 500, Taiwan(1): Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an especially aggressive form of breast cancer defined by a poor prognosis and a lack of effective treatment options. There is a pressing need for validated predictive and prognostic biomarkers to assist in making treatment decisions and improve the prognostic accuracy for patients with this challenging disease. (2): We analyzed the RNA-seq data from three TNBC tissue samples alongside their corresponding normal tissues. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) identified potential pathways. Additionally, we examined SPP1 mRNA expression datasets available in the Kaplan–Meier plotter and investigated the SPP1 protein expression patterns in our own tissue microarray cohort via immunohistochemistry. (3): The results revealed that genes associated with the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway showed a significant increase in activity in TNBC tissues when compared to normal breast tissues. Furthermore, <i>SPP1</i> expression was found to be elevated in the TCGA TNBC dataset and correlated with a poor prognosis. This pattern was corroborated at the protein level in our TNBC tissue cohort; however, SPP1 protein expression did not demonstrate a significant impact on survival. Notably, <i>SPP1</i> mRNA expression was strongly linked to tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), particularly the M2 macrophage subtype, indicating a substantial association in the context of TNBC. (4): Our research highlights the significance of <i>SPP1</i> mRNA as a key prognostic indicator and a potential molecular responder for TNBC treatment utilizing targeted therapies that focus on Toll-like receptor signaling pathways.https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/46/12/806triple-negative breast cancerSPP1prognosis
spellingShingle Yu-Chia Chen
Chia-Ching Chen
Rong-Fu Chen
Hsin-Hung Chen
Po-Ming Chen
SPP1 mRNA Expression Is Associated with M2 Macrophage Infiltration and Poor Prognosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Current Issues in Molecular Biology
triple-negative breast cancer
SPP1
prognosis
title SPP1 mRNA Expression Is Associated with M2 Macrophage Infiltration and Poor Prognosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
title_full SPP1 mRNA Expression Is Associated with M2 Macrophage Infiltration and Poor Prognosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
title_fullStr SPP1 mRNA Expression Is Associated with M2 Macrophage Infiltration and Poor Prognosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
title_full_unstemmed SPP1 mRNA Expression Is Associated with M2 Macrophage Infiltration and Poor Prognosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
title_short SPP1 mRNA Expression Is Associated with M2 Macrophage Infiltration and Poor Prognosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
title_sort spp1 mrna expression is associated with m2 macrophage infiltration and poor prognosis in triple negative breast cancer
topic triple-negative breast cancer
SPP1
prognosis
url https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/46/12/806
work_keys_str_mv AT yuchiachen spp1mrnaexpressionisassociatedwithm2macrophageinfiltrationandpoorprognosisintriplenegativebreastcancer
AT chiachingchen spp1mrnaexpressionisassociatedwithm2macrophageinfiltrationandpoorprognosisintriplenegativebreastcancer
AT rongfuchen spp1mrnaexpressionisassociatedwithm2macrophageinfiltrationandpoorprognosisintriplenegativebreastcancer
AT hsinhungchen spp1mrnaexpressionisassociatedwithm2macrophageinfiltrationandpoorprognosisintriplenegativebreastcancer
AT pomingchen spp1mrnaexpressionisassociatedwithm2macrophageinfiltrationandpoorprognosisintriplenegativebreastcancer