Comprehensive Analysis of Expression and prognostic values of Annexin family genes in breast cancer

Abstract

Abstract Background Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women and remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Annexins are a family of calcium-binding proteins that have been linked to cancer progression and metastasis, but their role in breast cancer remains uncertain. Methods In this study, we investigated the mRNA expression, clinical parameters, genetic alterations, and prognostic value of all ANXA members in breast cancer using multiple online open-access databases including ONCOMINE, UALCAN, bc-GenExMiner, Kaplan-Meier plotter, THPA (The Human Protein Atlas), Metascape, GeneMANIA, TIMER, STRING, and Enrichr. Results Our findings revealed that the expression of ANXA1/2/3/5/6/8/11 was significantly lower, while ANXA9 was upregulated in breast cancer tissues compared to normal tissues. Furthermore, we found that elevated expression of ANXA6/7/9/11 was linked to favorable overall survival, while ANXA8/9/10/13 was associated with longer relapse-free survival. We also discovered that 48% of BC patients had genetic mutations of ANXA family members. Finally, we found significant correlations among the expression of different annexin family members and the infiltration of six types of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Conclusions Our results highlight the significant role of ANXAs in breast cancer progression and prognosis. ANXAs could serve as potential therapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers in breast cancer. These findings may provide valuable insights into the development of more effective treatments for breast cancer patients.