Title : Identification of FMO5 as a biomarker in prostate adenocarcinoma: From data mining to experimental validation
Abstract:
Background: Prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) is one of the most common malignancies of the male genitourinary system, yet its molecular pathogenesis remains unclear. Recent evidence suggests that FMO5 may play an important role in tumor development; however, its involvement in PRAD progression has not been fully elucidated.
Methods: The expression of FMO5 in PRAD was analyzed using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the BEST database. The associations between FMO5 expression, immune cell infiltration, and immune checkpoint molecules were evaluated in the TCGA-PRAD cohort. FMO5 expression was further validated by qRT-PCR in four PRAD cell lines and by immunohistochemistry in clinical tissue samples. Kaplan–Meier survival analyses were performed in both TCGA and a local cohort to assess the prognostic significance of FMO5. Functional assays, including colony formation, CCK-8, wound healing, and Transwell experiments, were conducted to determine the effects of FMO5 knockdown on PRAD cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.
Results: FMO5 expression was significantly upregulated in PRAD tissues compared with normal controls, consistent across public databases, cell lines, and clinical specimens. Elevated FMO5 expression was associated with advanced clinicopathological features and poorer overall survival in both cohorts. Moreover, FMO5 expression correlated positively with immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint gene expression. Functional experiments demonstrated that FMO5 knockdown significantly inhibited PRAD cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.
Conclusions: FMO5 is overexpressed in prostate adenocarcinoma and associated with poor prognosis, immune regulation, and tumor progression. These findings suggest that FMO5 may serve as a promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for PRAD.
