LAYN acts as a prognostic biomarker in ovarian cancer by engaging T cell exclusion and dysfunction

Abstract

Abstract Background Ovarian cancer (OV) is one of the commonest gynecological cancer, especially in the developed world. Layilin (LAYN) is associated with multiple types of cancer. However, it remains unclear about LAYN’s underlying roles and potential mechanisms in ovarian cancer. Methods The expression status of LAYN and clinic information of patients in OV were investigated using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Results High expression of LAYN forecasted a shorter survival time in all OV datasets we used, indicating high LAYN expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis in OV patients. Bioinformatic analyses showed that LAYN expression level was an independent factor associated with OV prognosis. We also proved the significant association of LAYN expression level with T cell exclusion and resistance to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Further analyses revealed that LAYN may play its role on tumor immunity through the TGF-beta signaling pathway. Conclusions This is the first study to reveal the molecular functions of LAYN in OV. Our study suggests that overexpressed LAYN might boost T cell exclusion and ICB resistance by activating TGF-beta signaling pathway, resulting in a poor prognosis for OV patients. This study shed a light on understanding potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in OV.