Background: The autophagy-associated transmembrane protein EI24 is associated with cancer growth and patient survival. We aimed to explore the prognostic role and immune infiltration characteristics of EI24 at a pan-cancer level.
Methods: We collected data from multiple databases to explore the expression and prognostic role of EI24 in various cancers. Correlations between EI24 expression and DNA methylation, RNA modification, tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), immune moderator, immune checkpoint-related genes, the tumor immune microenvironment, and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed. Finally, immunohistochemistry and western blotting were performed to validate the protein levels of EI24 in different tumors.
Results: Differential expression of EI24 was observed in most cancer types compared to non-cancerous tissues. EI24 showed a significant association with prognosis and may represent a new indicator of prognosis in patients with cancer. In most cancers, EI24 is closely associated with tumor immunity and interacts with various immune cells. Moreover, significant correlations were observed between EI24 expression and RNA modification, TMB, MSI, immune moderators, and immune checkpoint-related genes.
Conclusion: This study provides new insights into the functions and clinical value of EI24 in different tumors and suggests that EI24 may serve as a promising biomarker or therapeutic target for cancer management.
Keywords: EI24; immune cell infiltration; pan-cancer; prognosis; therapeutic target.