TIMM17A overexpression in lung adenocarcinoma and its association with prognosis

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, demands a deeper understanding of its molecular mechanisms and the identification of reliable biomarkers for better diagnosis and targeted therapy. Leveraging data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC), and the Human Protein Atlas (HPA), we investigated the mRNA and protein expression profiles of TIMM17A and assessed its prognostic significance through Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression analysis. Through Gene Set Enrichment Analysis, we explored the regulatory mechanisms of TIMM17A in LUAD progression and demonstrated its role in modulating the proliferative capacity of A549 cells, a type of LUAD cell, via in vitro experiments. Our results indicate that TIMM17A is significantly upregulated in LUAD tissues, correlating with clinical staging, lymph node metastasis, overall survival, and progression-free survival, thereby establishing it as a critical independent prognostic factor. The construction of a nomogram model further enhances our ability to predict patient outcomes. Knockdown of TIMM17A inhibited the growth of LUAD cells. The potential of TIMM17A as a biomarker and therapeutic target for LUAD presents a promising pathway for improving patient diagnosis and treatment strategies.

A TIMM17A Regulatory Network Contributing to Breast Cancer

Background

Translocase of inner mitochondrial membrane 17A (TIMM17A) is overexpressed in breast cancer (BRCA), and upregulation can increase the aggressiveness of BRCA cells. This study examined the influence of the TIMM17A gene network on BRCA outcome.

Methods

Expression levels of TIMM17A were compared between normal and tumor tissues from the Oncomine^TM database, and the association with patient survival was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier Plotter. Clinical factors influencing TIMM17A expression were studied by UALCAN. cBioPotal was then used to identify genes interacting with TIMM17A, and network relationships were assessed using the R clusterProfiler package. The association between TIMM17A mutation and mRNA expression in BRCA was examined using the LinkFinder application in LinkedOmics, and coexpressed genes were assessed for functional enrichment using the LinkInterpreter application. Furthermore, TIMM17A expression correlation with cell cycle phase distribution was performed by flow cytometry. Finally, the target networks of kinases, microRNAs (miRNAs), and transcription factors were identified using GeneMANIA. The expression and correlation of potential miRNAs and targets were further validated in BRCA cell lines by qRT-PCR.

Results

Expression of TIMM17A was significantly elevated in BRCA compared with normal tissue (p < 0.05), and overexpression was associated with both poor overall survival (OS) and shorter distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (p < 0.05). Expression of TIMM17A was not associated with age, sex, BRCA subclass, clinical stage, or patient ethnicity. The coexpressed TIMM17A network was enriched in genes targeted by cell cycle regulators such as CDK1, miR-331, and E2F family transcription factors (FDR < 0.001). Furthermore, flow cytometry revealed a strong association between higher TIMM17A expression and faster cell cycle progression in these BRCA cell lines. In addition, expression of TIMM17A protein was correlated with CDK1 protein expression in BRCA cell lines as measured by western blotting.

Conclusion

Elevated TIMM17A expression accelerates the progression of BRCA, thereby reducing OS and DMFS. The TIMM17A-associated networks identified here provide clues to the molecular pathogenesis of BRCA and potential targets for BRCA treatment.

The Impact of TIMM17A on Aggressiveness of Human Breast Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND

The mitochondrial protein translocase of inner mitochondrial membrane 17 homolog A (TIMM17A) has been identified as a biomarker of breast cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the biological role of TIMM17A in human breast cancer cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Anti-TIMM17A transgenes were stably transfected into MDA MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. The impact of TIMM17A knock-down on cell migration and invasion were evaluated using the respective cell models.

RESULTS

Reducing the expression of TIMM17A in breast cancer cells resulted in reduction of cell migration using electric cell-substrate impedance sensing. It was also found that reduction of TIMM17A expression resulted in reduction of cell invasion compared to vector control.

CONCLUSION

TIMM17A has a profound impact on the cellular function of breast cancer cells. A decrease of TIMM17A expression is associated with the reduction of the aggressiveness of breast cancer cells. TIMM17A, therefore, has potential in prognosis and treatment of breast cancer.