Unveiling the Role of SLC6A17 in Lung Adenocarcinoma: Prognosis, Pathways, and Therapeutic Implications

Background: The role of solute carrier family 6 member 17 (SLC6A17) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is unclear. Objectives: To address this gap in knowledge, we employed bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation. Methods: This research aimed to scrutinize the expression patterns of the SLC6A17 gene across a spectrum of cancers and specifically within LUAD, utilizing data extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The correlation between SLC6A17 expression and LUAD prognosis was investigated to assess its diagnostic relevance. The study delved into the possible regulatory mechanisms of SLC6A17, focusing on its links to immune cell infiltration and drug response in LUAD. The examination of SLC6A17 expression was extended to single-cell sequencing data in LUAD, alongside an evaluation of the gene's genomic alterations and clinical implications within this disease context. Validation of SLC6A17 expression levels was conducted using datasets from GSE87340 and various cell lines, employing quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRTPCR) techniques. Results: SLC6A17 exhibited aberrant expression in both pan-cancer and LUAD. Increased expression of SLC6A17 in LUAD patients was significantly associated with poorer overall survival (p = 0.008), progress-free survival (p = 0.019), and disease specific survival (p = 0.030). In LUAD patients, the levels of SLC6A17 expression were found to be a significant standalone indicator of prognosis, with a p-value of 0.031. SLC6A17 exhibited associations with various pathways, including focal adhesion, ECM receptor interaction, cell cycle, linoleic acid metabolism, pathways in cancer, and more. SLC6A17 expression demonstrated correlations with immune infiltration in LUAD. SLC6A17 expression revealed a notably inverse relationship with several substances, including AR-42, T0901317, tubastatin A, SB52334, and amuvatinib, within the context of LUAD. SLC6A17 was found to be significantly positively regulated in LUAD cell lines. Conclusions: These findings suggest that SLC6A17 indicates the potential of a potential prognostic biomarker and immunotherapeutic target for patients with LUAD.