Abstract
Background DnaJ Homolog Subfamily C Member 5B (DNAJC5B), as a member of the heat shock protein family, has not yet been fully clarified in its role in tumor development, making it particularly important to study its potential role in the immunotherapy of esophageal cancer.
Methods This study utilized the esophageal cancer dataset from the TCGA database, selecting genes associated with DNAJC5B expression through Pearson correlation analysis, followed by Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis. Additionally, single-cell RNA sequencing data was used to analyze DNAJC5B expression in different T cell subgroups. The prognostic value of DNAJC5B was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and Cox proportional hazards model analysis.
Results DNAJC5B is highly expressed in patients with advanced esophageal cancer, especially in males. Immunohistochemical staining results indicate a notable enrichment of DNAJC5B in the cytoplasm of cancer tissue cells. GO and KEGG analysis indicated significant correlations between DNAJC5B expression and immune-related processes like adaptive immune response and cell surface receptor signaling pathways. Single-cell analysis showed that DNAJC5B predominantly accumulates in CD8+ T cells and is associated with cell activation state. Survival analysis indicated that patients with high DNAJC5B expression had a median survival of 681 days, markedly lower than the 1361 days in those with low expression. Both univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards model analyses identified DNAJC5B as an independent prognostic factor in ESCC patients.
Conclusion This study suggests that DNAJC5B may play a significant immunomodulatory role in esophageal cancer, particularly in regulating CD8+ T cell function and tumor immune escape. These findings support the potential of DNAJC5B as a biomarker for treatment and prognosis evaluation in esophageal cancer, providing new strategic directions for immunotherapy of esophageal cancer.