FERMT1 Is a Prognostic Marker Involved in Immune Infiltration of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Correlating with m6A Modification and Necroptosis

Qian Wu; Jin Li; Pei Wang; Qihang Peng; Zhongcui Kang; Yiting Deng; Jiayi Li; Dehong Yan; Feng Ge; Ying Chen

doi:10.3390/genes14030734

FERMT1 Is a Prognostic Marker Involved in Immune Infiltration of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Correlating with m⁶A Modification and Necroptosis

Genes (Basel). 2023 Mar 16;14(3):734. doi: 10.3390/genes14030734.

Authors

Qian Wu¹, Jin Li¹, Pei Wang¹, Qihang Peng¹, Zhongcui Kang¹, Yiting Deng¹, Jiayi Li¹, Dehong Yan², Feng Ge³, Ying Chen¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434025, China.
² Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.

Abstract

As an important member of the kindlin family, fermitin family member 1 (FERMT1) can interact with integrin and its aberrant expression involves multiple tumors. However, there are few systematic studies on FERMT1 in pancreatic carcinoma (PAAD). We used several public databases to analyze the expression level and clinicopathological characteristics of FERMT1 in PAAD. Meanwhile, the correlation between FERMT1 expression and diagnostic and prognostic value, methylation, potential biological function, immune infiltration, and sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs in PAAD patients were investigated. FERMT1 was significantly up-regulated in PAAD and correlated with T stage, and histologic grade. High FERMT1 expression was closely connected with poor prognosis and can be used to diagnose PAAD. Moreover, the methylation of six CpG sites of FERMT1 was linked to prognosis, and FERMT1 expression was significantly related to N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that FERMT1 co-expression genes participated in diverse biological functions including necroptosis. In addition, the expression of FERMT1 was associated with immune cell infiltration and the expression of immune checkpoint molecules. Finally, FERMT1 overexpression may be sensitive to chemotherapy drugs such as Palbociclib, AM-5992 and TAE-226. FERMT1 can serve as a diagnostic and prognostic marker of PAAD, which is connected with immune cell infiltration and the modulation of m⁶A and necroptosis.

Keywords: FERMT1; immune infiltration; m6A modification; necroptosis; pancreatic adenocarcinoma; prognosis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adenocarcinoma*
Humans
Membrane Proteins / genetics
Necroptosis
Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
Pancreatic Neoplasms* / genetics
Prognosis

Substances

FERMT1 protein, human
Membrane Proteins
Neoplasm Proteins

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31601036), Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province (2021CFB190), Scientific research plan project of Hubei Provincial Department of Education (Q20201314, B2017038), and Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program for College Students of Yangtze University (Yz2022232).