DPP4 Is a Potential Prognostic Marker of Thyroid Carcinoma and a Target for Immunotherapy

DPP4 (dipeptidyl peptidase 4) is expressed in many cancers, but the relationship between DPP4 and thyroid carcinoma (THCA) is incompletely understood. We aim to explore the expression of DPP4 in THCA and the correlation between DPP4 expression with the prognosis of THCA and antitumor immunity. We sy...

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Main Authors: Xiaoqian Gao, Yali Le, Chenchen Geng, Zhen Jiang, Guanghui Zhao, Ping Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-01-01
Series:International Journal of Endocrinology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/5181386
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author Xiaoqian Gao
Yali Le
Chenchen Geng
Zhen Jiang
Guanghui Zhao
Ping Zhang
author_facet Xiaoqian Gao
Yali Le
Chenchen Geng
Zhen Jiang
Guanghui Zhao
Ping Zhang
author_sort Xiaoqian Gao
collection DOAJ
description DPP4 (dipeptidyl peptidase 4) is expressed in many cancers, but the relationship between DPP4 and thyroid carcinoma (THCA) is incompletely understood. We aim to explore the expression of DPP4 in THCA and the correlation between DPP4 expression with the prognosis of THCA and antitumor immunity. We systematically analyzed data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases and explored DPP4 expression, its impact on prognosis, and its relationship with antitumor immunity in THCA. Next, we collected 18 pairs of fresh THCA and adjacent paracancerous tissues and performed RT-qPCR to validate the DPP4 mRNA level. Concurrently, immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis was performed on 12 pairs of paraffin-embedded tissues of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and paracancerous tissues to validate the DPP4 protein level. Bioinformatics analysis showed that DPP4 mRNA expression in THCA was significantly higher than that in paracancerous tissues (p<0.01). DPP4 was expressed at the highest levels in MTC than in other pathological types. The DPP4 expression level was different between groups with different clinical characteristics. The higher the DPP4 expressed in THCA, the lower the disease-free survival (DFS) was (HR = 1.8, p=0.048). DPP4 was significantly correlated with immune cell infiltration and immune response and was positively associated with 21 immune checkpoint genes (ICGs) in THCA (p<0.05). The results of RT-qPCR showed that the relative mRNA expression of DPP4 was significantly upregulated in 18 THCA tissues compared to that in paracancerous tissues (p=0.011). IHC results showed that the DPP4 protein level was higher in 12 MTC tissues than in paracancerous tissues (p=0.011). In conclusion, DPP4 is a potential prognostic marker of THCA and may become an effective target for immunotherapy.
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spelling doaj-art-e61bc7ffe4be4aeea8540815533f73522025-08-20T03:26:04ZengWileyInternational Journal of Endocrinology1687-83452022-01-01202210.1155/2022/5181386DPP4 Is a Potential Prognostic Marker of Thyroid Carcinoma and a Target for ImmunotherapyXiaoqian Gao0Yali Le1Chenchen Geng2Zhen Jiang3Guanghui Zhao4Ping Zhang5Department of UltrasoundHealth Management CenterDepartment of UltrasoundDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck SurgeryMedical Laboratory CenterDepartment of UltrasoundDPP4 (dipeptidyl peptidase 4) is expressed in many cancers, but the relationship between DPP4 and thyroid carcinoma (THCA) is incompletely understood. We aim to explore the expression of DPP4 in THCA and the correlation between DPP4 expression with the prognosis of THCA and antitumor immunity. We systematically analyzed data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases and explored DPP4 expression, its impact on prognosis, and its relationship with antitumor immunity in THCA. Next, we collected 18 pairs of fresh THCA and adjacent paracancerous tissues and performed RT-qPCR to validate the DPP4 mRNA level. Concurrently, immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis was performed on 12 pairs of paraffin-embedded tissues of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and paracancerous tissues to validate the DPP4 protein level. Bioinformatics analysis showed that DPP4 mRNA expression in THCA was significantly higher than that in paracancerous tissues (p<0.01). DPP4 was expressed at the highest levels in MTC than in other pathological types. The DPP4 expression level was different between groups with different clinical characteristics. The higher the DPP4 expressed in THCA, the lower the disease-free survival (DFS) was (HR = 1.8, p=0.048). DPP4 was significantly correlated with immune cell infiltration and immune response and was positively associated with 21 immune checkpoint genes (ICGs) in THCA (p<0.05). The results of RT-qPCR showed that the relative mRNA expression of DPP4 was significantly upregulated in 18 THCA tissues compared to that in paracancerous tissues (p=0.011). IHC results showed that the DPP4 protein level was higher in 12 MTC tissues than in paracancerous tissues (p=0.011). In conclusion, DPP4 is a potential prognostic marker of THCA and may become an effective target for immunotherapy.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/5181386
spellingShingle Xiaoqian Gao
Yali Le
Chenchen Geng
Zhen Jiang
Guanghui Zhao
Ping Zhang
DPP4 Is a Potential Prognostic Marker of Thyroid Carcinoma and a Target for Immunotherapy
International Journal of Endocrinology
title DPP4 Is a Potential Prognostic Marker of Thyroid Carcinoma and a Target for Immunotherapy
title_full DPP4 Is a Potential Prognostic Marker of Thyroid Carcinoma and a Target for Immunotherapy
title_fullStr DPP4 Is a Potential Prognostic Marker of Thyroid Carcinoma and a Target for Immunotherapy
title_full_unstemmed DPP4 Is a Potential Prognostic Marker of Thyroid Carcinoma and a Target for Immunotherapy
title_short DPP4 Is a Potential Prognostic Marker of Thyroid Carcinoma and a Target for Immunotherapy
title_sort dpp4 is a potential prognostic marker of thyroid carcinoma and a target for immunotherapy
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/5181386
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