Aberrant RBMX Expression Relevant for Cancer Prognosis and Immunotherapy Response

“In the future, targeting of RBMX may be a novel method in cancer therapy.”

BUFFALO, NY- January 17, 2024 – A new research paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as “Aging (Albany NY)” and “Aging-US” by Web of Science) Volume 16, Issue 1, entitled, “Aberrant RBMX expression is relevant for cancer prognosis and immunotherapy response.”

Cancer accounts for the highest rates of morbidity and mortality worldwide. RNA binding motif protein X-linked (RBMX) is a nuclear RNA-binding protein, associated with certain types of cancer by participating in the integration of sister chromatids and a combination of ribonucleoprotein complexes. However, the specific role of RBMX in cancer immunity remains unknown.

In this new study, researchers Yilei Sheng, Kunjian Lei, Chengpeng Sun, Jia Liu, Zewei Tu, Xingen Zhu, and Kai Huang from Nanchang University, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Neurological Tumors and Cerebrovascular Diseases, JXHC Key Laboratory of Neurological Medicine, and Yale School of Medicine present the aberrant expression levels, single-cell distributions, effective prognostic roles, immune cell infiltration associations, and immunotherapy responses of RBMX as a biomarker in various types of cancer. Moreover, they validate the aberrant expression of RBMX in clinical cancer samples. 

“[…] a pan-cancer analysis is necessary for the identification of novel biological targets and biomarkers involved in carcinogenesis, cancer progression, and immunotherapy response. Such knowledge would improve the precision of cancer therapy.”

The researchers also evaluated the relationships between RBMX expression and myeloid-derived suppressor cells in clinical samples by immunofluorescent staining. Results showed that knockdown of RBMX can impair the proliferation, migration, and invasion of liver cancer cells. Finally, the team indicated that RBMX may play an immunoregulatory role in cancer progression, affecting the therapeutic effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with cancer.

“In conclusion, we performed an integrated analysis of RBMX, revealing its effective role in predicting cancer prognosis and response to immunotherapy. Abnormal expression of RBMX is associated with immune regulation, prognosis, the tumor microenvironment, immune cell infiltration, MSI, and TMB. The results of this study indicated that RBMX may play an independent role in clinical diagnosis and prediction.”

Read the full paper: DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.205363 

Corresponding Authors: Zewei Tu, Xingen Zhu, Kai Huang

Corresponding Emails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] 

Keywords: RBMX, cancer prognosis, immunotherapy response, proliferation, invasion

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About Aging: Launched in 2009, Aging (Aging-US) publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways.

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