RECQL correlates with immune infiltration and serves as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic predictor in gastric cancer.

IF 2.1 4区医学 Q4 ONCOLOGY

Translational cancer research Pub Date : 2026-08-31 Epub Date: 2026-07-23 DOI:10.21037/tcr-2026-0411

Tana Lin, Lu Wang, Xin Wang, Haiqing Hu, Ying Li

{"title":"RECQL correlates with immune infiltration and serves as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic predictor in gastric cancer.","authors":"Tana Lin, Lu Wang, Xin Wang, Haiqing Hu, Ying Li","doi":"10.21037/tcr-2026-0411","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Background: RecQ-like helicase (RECQL), a member of the RecQ-like DNA helicase family, plays a crucial role in maintaining genomic stability. However, its relevance in gastric cancer (GC) has not been fully investigated. This study aimed to explore the clinical significance, biological functions, and potential role of RECQL in the tumor immune microenvironment of GC through comprehensive bioinformatics analyses and in vitro experiments.Methods: Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), differential expression analysis, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression were performed using public datasets [The Cancer Genome Atlas Stomach Adenocarcinoma (TCGA-STAD), GSE150290] to identify key genes associated with GC progression. Subsequently, key pathways were identified through functional enrichment analysis, while immune infiltration and spatial transcriptomic analyses were conducted to characterize RECQL expression and its association with the tumor immune microenvironment. Finally, the effects of RECQL knockdown on the biological function of GC cells were assessed through Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, scratch, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays.Results: RECQL was significantly upregulated in GC tissues and correlated with advanced clinical stage and poor prognosis. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed a strong association between high RECQL expression and DNA repair pathway. Immune infiltration analysis indicated significant enrichment of M2 macrophages in the high-RECQL group, along with upregulation of immune checkpoint molecules including PDCD1, CTLA4, and CD274. Spatial transcriptomics further demonstrated co-localization of RECQL with myeloid cell-enriched regions in tumor parenchymal areas. Furthermore, in vitro experimental results indicated that RECQL was highly expressed in GC cell lines, and its knockdown effectively inhibited the viability, proliferation, and migration capabilities of HGC-27 cells, while enhancing their apoptosis.Conclusions: RECQL serves as a promising biomarker and potential therapeutic target in GC.","PeriodicalId":23216,"journal":{"name":"Translational cancer research","volume":"15 8","pages":"614"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2026-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13559635/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Translational cancer research","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.21037/tcr-2026-0411","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/7/23 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"ONCOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: RecQ-like helicase (RECQL), a member of the RecQ-like DNA helicase family, plays a crucial role in maintaining genomic stability. However, its relevance in gastric cancer (GC) has not been fully investigated. This study aimed to explore the clinical significance, biological functions, and potential role of RECQL in the tumor immune microenvironment of GC through comprehensive bioinformatics analyses and in vitro experiments.

Methods: Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), differential expression analysis, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression were performed using public datasets [The Cancer Genome Atlas Stomach Adenocarcinoma (TCGA-STAD), GSE150290] to identify key genes associated with GC progression. Subsequently, key pathways were identified through functional enrichment analysis, while immune infiltration and spatial transcriptomic analyses were conducted to characterize RECQL expression and its association with the tumor immune microenvironment. Finally, the effects of RECQL knockdown on the biological function of GC cells were assessed through Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, scratch, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays.

Results: RECQL was significantly upregulated in GC tissues and correlated with advanced clinical stage and poor prognosis. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed a strong association between high RECQL expression and DNA repair pathway. Immune infiltration analysis indicated significant enrichment of M2 macrophages in the high-RECQL group, along with upregulation of immune checkpoint molecules including PDCD1, CTLA4, and CD274. Spatial transcriptomics further demonstrated co-localization of RECQL with myeloid cell-enriched regions in tumor parenchymal areas. Furthermore, in vitro experimental results indicated that RECQL was highly expressed in GC cell lines, and its knockdown effectively inhibited the viability, proliferation, and migration capabilities of HGC-27 cells, while enhancing their apoptosis.

Conclusions: RECQL serves as a promising biomarker and potential therapeutic target in GC.

查看原文本刊更多论文

RECQL与免疫浸润相关，可作为胃癌预后生物标志物和治疗预测因子。

背景：RecQ-like helicase （RECQL）是RecQ-like DNA解旋酶家族的一员，在维持基因组稳定性方面起着至关重要的作用。然而，其与胃癌（GC）的相关性尚未得到充分研究。本研究旨在通过综合生物信息学分析和体外实验，探讨RECQL在胃癌肿瘤免疫微环境中的临床意义、生物学功能和潜在作用。方法：使用公开数据集[The Cancer Genome Atlas gastric adenocaroma (TCGA-STAD)， GSE150290]进行加权基因共表达网络分析（WGCNA）、差异表达分析和最小绝对收缩和选择算子（LASSO）回归，以确定与胃癌进展相关的关键基因。随后，通过功能富集分析确定了关键通路，同时通过免疫浸润和空间转录组学分析来表征RECQL表达及其与肿瘤免疫微环境的关系。最后，通过细胞计数试剂盒-8 （CCK-8）、菌落形成、划痕和末端脱氧核苷酸转移酶dUTP缺口末端标记（TUNEL）检测评估RECQL敲低对GC细胞生物学功能的影响。结果：RECQL在胃癌组织中表达显著上调，与临床分期晚期、预后不良相关。基因集富集分析（GSEA）揭示了高RECQL表达与DNA修复途径之间的密切关联。免疫浸润分析显示，高recql组M2巨噬细胞显著富集，免疫检查点分子PDCD1、CTLA4、CD274上调。空间转录组学进一步证实RECQL与肿瘤实质区域的髓细胞富集区共定位。此外，体外实验结果表明RECQL在GC细胞系中高表达，其敲低可有效抑制HGC-27细胞的活力、增殖和迁移能力，同时促进其凋亡。结论：RECQL是一种有前景的生物标志物和潜在的GC治疗靶点。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Translational cancer research ONCOLOGY-

CiteScore

2.10

自引率

0.00%

发文量

252

期刊介绍： Translational Cancer Research (Transl Cancer Res TCR; Print ISSN: 2218-676X; Online ISSN 2219-6803; http://tcr.amegroups.com/) is an Open Access, peer-reviewed journal, indexed in Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE). TCR publishes laboratory studies of novel therapeutic interventions as well as clinical trials which evaluate new treatment paradigms for cancer; results of novel research investigations which bridge the laboratory and clinical settings including risk assessment, cellular and molecular characterization, prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of human cancers with the overall goal of improving the clinical care of cancer patients. The focus of TCR is original, peer-reviewed, science-based research that successfully advances clinical medicine toward the goal of improving patients'' quality of life. The editors and an international advisory group of scientists and clinician-scientists as well as other experts will hold TCR articles to the high-quality standards. We accept Original Articles as well as Review Articles, Editorials and Brief Articles.