SOD2 expression in patients with triple-negative breast cancer is associated with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and prognosis
摘要
Superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), an antioxidant enzyme, plays a pivotal role in carcinogenesis and immune regulation. In this study, we investigated the expression and implications of superoxide dismutase (SOD2) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive subtype with varying immune profiles and clinical outcomes.
MethodsMultiple TNBC cohorts were analyzed with various methodologies including immunohistochemistry (IHC), proteomics, and RNA expressions. Immunostaining of SOD2 with tissue microarrays from 229 surgical samples and 144 pre-neoadjuvant chemotherapy biopsy samples were performed. Four hundred three formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples underwent deparaffinization for protein extraction and three hundred thirty-six samples remained after quality control. Ninety-one TNBC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas data and five hundred thirty-four TNBC samples from public database were also analyzed.
ResultsWe identified positive correlations between SOD2 expression and immune-related genes, as well as tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) levels, while observing negative associations with fibrosis-related pathways. Immunohistochemical analysis further supported the positive correlation between SOD2 and immune response. Furthermore, elevated SOD2 expression predicted favorable survival outcomes in patients with TNBC. Notably, analysis of single-cell RNA-seq data revealed increased SOD2 expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts associated with higher TILs levels, enhanced inflammatory signaling, and reduced fibrogenesis.
ConclusionHigh SOD2 expression in TNBC is associated with improved outcomes and heightened immune responses, underscoring its potential as a modulator of the tumor microenvironment.