GPR17 Suppresses Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Progression and Serves as an Independent Prognostic Biomarke.

BACKGROUND: G protein-coupled receptor 17 (GPR17), a Gi protein-coupled receptor, has been defined poorly about its roles and clinical significance in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

PURPOSE: The biological expression profile, prognostic value and functional roles of GPR17 in TNBC were elucidated in the present study.

METHODS: Differentially expressed genes were screened through comprehensive bioinformatics analyses of the GSE233242 dataset. GPR17 expression patterns and their prognostic significance in TNBC were evaluated based on the UALCAN, bc-GenExMiner v4.8 and KM-Plotter databases. Prognostic correlations of GPR17 were further validated in a retrospective cohort comprising 163 TNBC patients. In vitro functional assays for cell proliferation, migration and invasion were conducted in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-453 cells after GPR17 overexpression.

RESULTS: GPR17 was significantly downregulated in TNBC tumor tissues (p < 0.001), and reduced GPR17 expression was associated with more aggressive tumor phenotypes in TNBC patients. GPR17 expression was closely correlated with clinical T stage and lymph node metastasis, and was identified as an independent prognostic factor for the disease. Ectopic GPR17 overexpression significantly suppressed the proliferative, migratory and invasive capacities of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-453 TNBC cell lines.

CONCLUSION: GPR17 holds potential as a novel prognostic biomarker for TNBC, with its expression levels closely associated with tumor progression and able to predict clinical outcomes in TNBC patients.