Peer Review #3 of "Immunoglobulin superfamily member 10 is a novel prognostic biomarker for breast cancer (v0.3)"

Abstract

Background. Immunoglobulin superfamily member 10 (IGSF10) is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily that is expressed at high levels in both the gallbladder and ovary. Currently, the role and possible mechanism of IGSF10 in breast cancer remain unclear. Method. By applying real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC), the expression of IGSF10 in breast cancer cells and tissues was detected. We collected the clinical information from 700 patients with breast cancer in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and analyzed the relationship between IGSF10 expression and the clinicopathological features and survival outcomes of these patients. The potential mechanisms and pathways associated with IGSF10 in breast cancer were explored by performing a gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Results. According to TCGA data, qRT-PCR and IHC experiments, levels of the IGSF10 mRNA and protein were significantly decreased in breast cancer tissues. IGSF10 expression was significantly correlated with age, tumor size, and tumor stage. Moreover, shorter overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) correlated with lower IGSF10 expression, according to the survival analysis. The multivariate analysis identified that IGSF10 as an independent prognostic factor for the OS (hazard ratio (HR)=1.793, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.141-2.815, P=0.011) and RFS (HR=2.298, 95% CI: 1.317-4.010, P=0.003) of patients with breast cancer. Based on the GSEA, IGSF10 was involved in DNA repair, cell cycle, and glycolysis. IGSF10 was also associated with the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and mTORC1 signaling pathways. Conclusions. This study revealed a clear relationship between IGSF10 expression and the tumorigenesis of breast cancer for the first time. Therefore, further studies are needed to understand the mechanism of IGSF10 in breast cancer.