Identification and validation of DHCR7 as a diagnostic biomarker involved in the proliferation and mitochondrial function of breast cancer - Research Paper

Sep 22, 2026

Energy metabolism intersects with breast cancer pathogenesis and development, creating an opportunity to discover energy-metabolism-related genes (EMRGs) as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. DHCR7, a key enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis, is examined for its role in breast cancer proliferation and mitochondrial function. Bioinformatics identifies EMRGs, followed by enrichment, network, regression, survival and immune-infiltration analyses. Experimental assays quantify DHCR7 expression and function, revealing its oncogenic activity and links to poor outcomes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages20

Reading Time50 min

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Abstract

Background

Methods

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Introduction

[www.aging-us.com](www.aging-us.com) AGING 2024, Vol. 16, No. 7 Research Paper Identification and validation of DHCR7 as a diagnostic biomarker involved in the proliferation and mitochondrial function of breast cancer Yanfeng Wang1,2,*, Jiaxin Fan5,*, Yongcheng Liu6, Jie Du3, Boyu Liang1, Huxia Wang4, Zhangjun Song1 1 Department of Surgical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Shaanxi, China 2 Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Yan’an University, Shaanxi, China 3 Department of Health Examination Center, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Shaanxi, China 4 Department of Breast Disease Center, Shaanxi Provincial Tumor Hospital, Shaanxi, China 5 Department of Geriatric Neurology, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Shaanxi, China 6 Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Yan’an University, Shaanxi, China * Equal contribution Correspondence to: Huxia Wang, Zhangjun Song; email: [88321815@qq.com](88321815@qq.com), [https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9507-5075](https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9507-5075); [DoctorSong051107@126.com](DoctorSong051107@126.com), [https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7848-4592](https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7848-4592) [Keywords:](Keywords: breast cancer)[ breast cancer](Keywords: breast cancer), biomarker, DHCR7, proliferation, mitochondrial function Received: September 18, 2023 Accepted: February 20, 2024 Published: March 22, 2024 Copyright: © 2024 Wang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. ABSTRACT Background: Energy metabolism has a complex intersection with pathogenesis and development of breast cancer (BC) . This allows for the possibility of identifying energy-metabolism-related genes (EMRGs) as novel prognostic biomarkers for BC. 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7) is a key enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis involved in many cancers, and in this paper, we investigate the effects of DHCR7 on the proliferation and mitochondrial function of BC. Methods: EMRGs were identified from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and MSigDB databases using bioinformatics methods. Key EMRGs of BC were then identified and validated by functional enrichment analysis, interaction analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, Cox analysis, and immune infiltration. Western blot, qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC), MTT assay, colony formation assay and flow cytometry assay were then used to analyze DHCR7 expression and its biological effects on BC cells. Results: We identified 31 EMRGs in BC. These 31 EMRGs and related transcription factors (TFs), miRNAs, and drugs were enriched in glycerophospholipid metabolism, glycoprotein metabolic process, breast cancer, and cell cycle. Crucially, DHCR7 was a key EMRG in BC identified and validated by WGCNA, LASSO regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. High DHCR7 expression was significantly associated with tumor immune infiltration level, pathological M, and poor prognosis in BC. In addition, DHCR7 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis and affected mitochondrial function in BC cells. Conclusions: DHCR7 was found to be a key EMRG up-regulated in BC cells. This study is the first to our knowledge to report that DHCR7 acts as an oncogene in BC, which might become a novel therapeutic target for BC patients. 5967 INTRODUCTION Breast cancer (BC) ranks first in incidence and fifth in mortality among all cancers worldwide [1] . ER+, HER2+, and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are the major clinical subtypes for BC, of which ER+ cancers account for approximately 70% of total cases [2] . Many risk factors contribute to BC’s high incidence rate and mortality. These factors include in

FAQs

What is the main goal of the study on DHCR7 in breast cancer?

To identify and validate DHCR7 as a diagnostic biomarker and to determine how it affects breast cancer proliferation and mitochondrial function.

How were energy-metabolism-related genes (EMRGs) identified and validated?

EMRGs were obtained from GEO and MSigDB using bioinformatics, then narrowed down and validated using enrichment analyses, WGCNA, LASSO regression, Cox analysis, and immune infiltration assessment.

What effects does DHCR7 knockdown have on breast cancer cells?

DHCR7 knockdown inhibits cell proliferation, induces apoptosis, and disrupts mitochondrial function in breast cancer cells.

Sep 22, 2026

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