Exploration of SERPINA family functions and prognostic value in breast cancer based on transcriptome and in vitro analysis

Environ Toxicol. 2024 Apr;39(4):1951-1967. doi: 10.1002/tox.24079. Epub 2023 Dec 9.

Abstract

Breast cancer poses a significant risk to women worldwide, yet specific role of SERPINA gene family in breast cancer remains unclarified. Data were collected from online databases. SERPINA family gene expression was presented, and prognosis value was evaluated. Multi-omics methods were employed to explore the SERPINA-related biological processes, followed by comprehensive analyses of their roles in breast cancer. Single-cell data were analyzed to characterize the SERPINA family gene expression in different cell clusters. We selected SERPINA5 as the target gene. Via pan-cancer analysis, SERPINA5 was also investigated in various cancers. The experimental validation was conducted in MDA-MB-231 cell line eventually. SERPINA family showed differential expression in breast cancer, which were mainly expressed in myeloid cells, epithelial cells, and dendritic cells. SERPINA5 expression was upregulated in breast cancer, which was associated with a better prognosis. Immune infiltration illustrated the positive correlativity between SERPINA5 intensity and eosinophilic recruitment. Pan-cancer analysis indicated the function of SERPINA5 as a potential biomarker in other cancers. Finally, experimental validation demonstrated that SERPINA5 contributes to lower invasion and metastatic potential of breast cancer cells. With bioinformatics analysis, the significant role SERPINA family genes functioned in breast cancer was comprehensively explored, with SERPINA5 emerging as a key gene in suppressing breast cancer progression.

Keywords: SERPINA family genes; bioinformatics; breast cancer; bulk-seq; scRNA.

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Epithelial Cells
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Prognosis
  • Transcriptome

Supplementary concepts

  • Breast Cancer, Familial