Exploring the impact of RPN1 on tumorigenesis and immune response in cancer

The ribophorin family, including RPN1, has been associated with tumor progression, but its specific role in pan-cancer dynamics remains unclear. Using data from TCGA, GTEx, and Ualcan databases, we investigated the relationship of RPN1 with prognosis, genomic alterations, and epigenetic modifications across various cancers. Differential analysis revealed elevated RPN1 expression in multiple cancer types, indicating a potential prognostic value. Amplification was the predominant mutation type of RPN1 in pan-cancer, with notable correlations with DNA methylation and copy number variation. Gene set variation analysis identified RPN1's involvement in cancer development, immunity, and metabolism. Additionally, RPN1 expression correlated with the tumor microenvironment, immune response factors, and response to anti-tumor therapies. Functional validation in triple-negative breast cancer, glioblastoma, and bladder cancer cell lines demonstrated the role of RPN1 in tumor cell proliferation and migration. Our findings highlight RPN1 as a potential biomarker for cancer diagnosis and treatment response in pan-cancer therapy. Graphical The multifaceted role of RPN1 in cancer progression: from gene expression to immunotherapy potential. The graphical abstract illustrates the multifaceted role of RPN1 in cancer. Elevated RPN1 expression is closely linked to reduced survival rates and altered immune activity from normal to cancer cells. It highlights RPN1's interaction with the tumor microenvironment, including its correlation with immune cells (e.g., CD8+ T cells, tumor-associated macrophages, CAFs) and synergy with PD-L1 expression. The study reveals RPN1's role in tumor immune suppression and its potential as a biomarker for predicting immunotherapy response and assessing prognosis.