KNL1 is a lung cancer prognostic biomarker associated with the immune microenvironment

Abstract

Background: Kinetochore scaffold 1 (KNL1) plays a crucial role in cell cycle regulation and is implicated in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression, especially in the tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy. Our study aims to investigate KNL1's potential as a therapeutic target for LUAD. Methods: We conducted pan-cancer analysis of KNL1 expression using the CancerSea database and performed survival analysis. Functional studies included GO, KEGG, and GESA analyses, as well as protein interaction network construction. Immune infiltration analysis was conducted using six algorithms from the "IOBR" R package. Therapeutic effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors were predicted using the TIDE and TCIA databases, and drug responses were forecasted using the "Oncopredict" R package. Results: KNL1 was significantly expressed across 22 malignancies, including LUAD, and correlated with worse prognosis. Immune infiltration analysis revealed associations between KNL1 expression and various immune cell types. Higher KNL1 expression was associated with increased susceptibility to CTLA4 inhibitors. Drug prediction suggested potential treatments for LUAD patients with high KNL1 expression. Conclusion: Our findings suggest KNL1 as a potential therapeutic target for LUAD, particularly in immunotherapy, making it a valuable biomarker for treatment strategies in this cancer type.