CYB561 is a potential therapeutic target for BC and is associated with immune cell infiltration

Abstract

Abstract Background: Breast Cancer (BC), a prevalent malignant tumor originating from the terminal ductal lobular unit of the breast, poses a significant health risk to women. Previous studies have associated Cytochrome b561 (CYB561) with poor prognosis in BC, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Methods: We investigated the expression value of CYB561 mRNA in BC using databases such as TCGA, GEO, TNMplot, and Kaplan-Meier Plotter. The prognostic value of CYB561 protein in BC was assessed in relation to CYB561 protein expression levels in tissue samples from 158 BC patients. The influence of CYB561 on BC progression was confirmed through in vivo and in vitro experiments. The biological functions and related signaling pathways of CYB561 in BC were explored using gene microarray combined with IPA analysis, GO enrichment analysis, and KEGG enrichment analysis. The correlation between CYB561 and the BC tumor immune microenvironment was evaluated based on the CIBERSORT algorithm and single-cell analysis, and further validated by immunohistochemistry of serial sections. Results: Our study demonstrated that CYB561 expression is a predictor of poor prognosis in BC patients. CYB561 was found to promote BC progression in both in vivo and in vitro experiments. CYB561 was observed to modulate downstream Tropomyosin 1 (TPM1) expression. Furthermore, CYB561 expression was associated with macrophage M2 polarization in the BC immune microenvironment. Conclusions: Elevated CYB561 expression suggests a poor prognosis for BC patients and is associated with macrophage M2 polarization in the BC microenvironment. Therefore, CYB561 could potentially serve as a therapeutic target for BC.