KIF3C: an emerging biomarker with prognostic and immune implications across pan-cancer types and its experiment validation in gastric cancer.

ABSTRACT

Kinesin Family Member 3C (KIF3C) assumes a crucial role in various biological processes of specific human cancers. Nevertheless, there exists a paucity of systematic assessments pertaining to the contribution of KIF3C in human malignancies. We conducted an extensive analysis of KIF3C, covering its expression profile, prognostic relevance, molecular function, tumor immunity, and drug sensitivity. Functional enrichment analysis was also carried out. In addition, we conducted in vitro experiments to substantiate the role of KIF3C in gastric cancer (GC). KIF3C expression demonstrated consistent elevation in various tumors compared to their corresponding normal tissues. We further unveiled that heightened KIF3C expression served as a prognostic indicator, and its elevated levels correlated with unfavorable clinical outcomes, encompassing reduced OS, DSS, and PFS in several cancer types. Notably, KIF3C expression exhibited positive associations with the pathological stages of several cancers. Moreover, KIF3C demonstrated varying relationships with the infiltration of various distinct immune cell types in gastric cancer. Functional analysis outcomes indicated that KIF3C played a role in the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Drug sensitivity unveiled a positive relationship between KIF3C in gastric cancer and the IC50 values of the majority of identified anti-cancer drugs. Additionally, KIF3C knockdown reduced the proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities, increased apoptosis, and led to alterations in the cell cycle of gastric cancer cells. Our research has revealed the significant and functional role of KIF3C as a tumorigenic gene in diverse cancer types. These findings indicate that KIF3C may serve as a promising target for the treatment of gastric cancer.