High expression of KIFC1 is a poor prognostic biomarker and correlates with TP53 mutation in lung cancer

Sep 21, 2026

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KIFC1 (Kinesin Family Member C1) is highly expressed across many tumors, prompting investigation into its role in lung cancer. Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus show significantly elevated KIFC1 mRNA and protein levels in lung cancer versus normal tissue. Increased KIFC1 associates with sex, pathological stage, and TMN stage, and predicts poor overall and progression-related survival outcomes. Pathway analysis links KIFC1 upregulation to cell-cycle enrichment and TP53 signaling, and KIFC1 overexpression correlates with TP53 mutations.

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Introduction

Materials and methods

® Diagnostic Accuracy Study High expression of KIFC1 is a poor prognostic biomarker and correlates with TP53 mutation in lung cancer Xiuying Li, MMa , Susu Wang, MDb , Pinglang Ruan, MMc , Ousman Bajinka, MMd , Weidong Zhang, MMa ,* | Abstract
The Kinesin Family Member C1 (KIFC1) is highly expressed in a variety of tumors. Since it is linked with tumorigenesis and progression, KIFC1 has emerged as a promising candidate for targeted chemotherapies. Thus, this study aims to find out the association between KIFC1 and lung cancer. The original data were assessed from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. Compared to normal lung tissues, both mRNA and protein levels of KIFC1 were significantly increased in lung cancer tissues. The upregulation of KIFC1 was significantly correlated with sex, pathological stage, and TMN stage. Survival analysis revealed that increased KIFC1 expression was associated with poor overall survival, first-progression survival and post-progression survival in lung cancer. Based on the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis, we observed that KIFC1 upregulation was linked to enrichment of the cell cycle and TP53 signaling pathway. Additionally, the overexpression of KIFC1 was positively correlated with TP53 mutations in lung cancer. Based on real-world cohort results, western blotting and RT-qPCR showed high-KIFC1 expression in lung cancer, which may be related to the malignancy of lung cancer. Finally, experiments in vitro showed that KIFC1 inhibitor could significantly inhibit the proliferation and invasion of lung cancer cells. In conclusion, KIFC1 is a poor prognostic biomarker, and patients with high-KIFC1 levels may benefit from targeted therapy. | | --- | | Abbreviations: DEGs = differentially expressed genes, GEO = Gene Expression Omnibus, KIFC1 = Kinesin Family Member C1 , LUAD = lung adenocarcinoma, NSCLC = non-small cell lung cancer, TCGA = The Cancer Genome Atlas. | | Keywords: Biomarker, KIFC1 , lung cancer, Targeted therapy, TP53-mutation burden | 1. Introduction Lung cancer is a common malignancy that affects human health,[1] and its incidence and death rate have increased rapidly in recent years in China and in the world at large.[2] From these incidence, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases[3,4] while lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) accounts for more than 40% of lung cancer incidence.[5] The reported 5-year survival rate for lung cancer, according to the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results program in 2011, was 15.6%,[6] and the KEYNOTE-042 Study reported 5-year overall survival rates of up to 22% .[7] At present, despite the substantial advancements in immunotherapy and surgical interventions, the prognosis of LUAD is poor. Hence, there is an urgent need to identify new prognostic factors and immune-related therapeutic targets to enhance the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of NSCLC. This study was supported by the Hunan Provincial Health Commission Project Fund (grant number D202303026950). The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. a Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China, b Department of Anesthesiology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China, c Department of Dermatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Changsha, Hunan, China, d School of Medicine and Allied Health Science, University of The Gambia, The Gambia. KIFC1 encodes Kinesin Family Member C1, a motor protein belonging to the kinesin family and is the main player in various cellular processes.[8] Centrosome clustering refers to the reorgani

FAQs

How was KIFC1 expression evaluated in lung cancer?

Expression was assessed using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus, followed by validation with real-world cohort results, western blotting, and RT-qPCR.

What clinical factors and outcomes are associated with high KIFC1 levels?

Upregulated KIFC1 correlates with sex, pathological stage, and TMN stage, and survival analysis links higher KIFC1 with poorer overall survival, first-progression survival, and post-progression survival.

What biological pathways and genetic alterations relate to KIFC1 in this study?

Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses associate KIFC1 upregulation with enrichment of the cell cycle and TP53 signaling pathways, and high KIFC1 is positively correlated with TP53 mutations.

Sep 21, 2026

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