Aim: HFM1 has been reported to be associated with meiosis and ovarian insufficiency, but its role in tumors remains unknown. This study aims to explore the functions and potential mechanism of HFM1 in breast cancer. Methods: Several databases, protein-protein interactions, gene ontology and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes were used for bioinformatic analysis. Tissue microarrays and cell viability assays were used to detect the expression of HFM1 and tamoxifen resistance, respectively. Results: HFM1 was downregulated in breast cancer with poor prognosis and may modulate DNA damage repair pathways and immune infiltration. Moreover, HFM1 may mediate ovarian steroidogenesis and participate in tamoxifen resistance of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells. Conclusion: We presented a first study on biological functions and potential mechanisms of HFM1 in cancers.
Keywords: HFM1; bioinformatics analysis; human breast cancer; metabolism; tamoxifen resistance.
The role and function of the protein HFM1 in tumors remains unknown. We explored the functions and potential mechanism of HFM1 in breast cancer through several known databases, clinical samples and cell experiments. We found that HFM1 was downregulated in breast cancer with a poor prognosis. HFM1 may mediate ovarian steroidogenesis and participate in tamoxifen resistance of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells. Here we first put forward the relationship between HFM1 and the prognosis of breast cancer, and provided relevant clues for mechanism exploration.