Sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1 is an important prognostic factor for colon adenocarcinoma and closely related to immune infiltration

Sep 21, 2026

Sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1 (SREBF1) encodes a core protein central to cholesterol and lipid metabolism and is highly expressed across cancer types. Few studies clarify how SREBF1 expression relates to colon adenocarcinoma (COAD). This work analyzes public databases and experimental models to assess links between SREBF1 expression, tumor immune infiltration, and COAD occurrence and progression.

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[https://www.cytojournal.com/](https://www.cytojournal.com/) CytoJournal Editor-in-Chief: Miaoqing Zhao, PhD., MD (Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China) He Wang, MD, PhD (Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA) Founding Editor & Editor-in-chief Emeritus: Vinod B. Shidham, MD, FIAC, FRCPath (WSU School of Medicine, Detroit, USA) Research Article Sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1 isan important prognostic factor for colon adenocarcinoma and closely related to immune infiltration Liying Jin1,2, Zhenhua Lin, Ph.D.1,2, Aihua Jin, Ph.D.1 1Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Yanbian University, 2Key Laboratory of Pathobiology (Yanbian University), State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Yanji, Jilin, China. *Corresponding author: Aihua Jin, Ph.D. Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, China. [drjinah@163.com](drjinah@163.com) Received: 12 April 2024 Accepted: 18 November 2024 Published: 19 December 2024 DOI 10.25259/Cytojournal_43_2024 Quick Response Code: Supplementary material on: [https://doi.org/10.25259/](https://doi.org/10.25259/)[ ](https://doi.org/10.25259/)Cytojournal_43_2024 ABSTRACT Objective: Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Transcription Factor 1 (SREBF1) encodes a core protein that has a crucial function in the metabolism of cholesterol and lipids. This transcription factor is a member of the family of transcription factors and highly expressed in a variety of cancer types. As of now, there are few reports on the relationship between the expression of SREBF1 and colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) . Hence, this study utilizes databases and a range of experiments to explore the relationship between the expression of SREBF1 and tumor immune infiltration, as well as the occurrence and development of tumors. Material and Methods: The expression of SREBF1 in pan-cancers was retrieved through databases such as TIMER, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), and UALCAN. The expression of SREBF1 in HCT-116 and SW480 cells was detected using western blot. Furthermore, we also found that knockdown SREBF1 can inhibit the proliferation and migration of COAD cells. The correlation between SREBF1 and autophagy in COAD cells was detected using acridine orange (AO) staining, western blot, and immunofluorescence (IF) . Results: The databases of TIMER, GEPIA and UALCAN revealed that SREBF1 is overexpressed in pan-cancer tissues, and closely associated with the prognosis of the patients with cancer. Further immunohistochemical staining showed that SREBF1 was overexpressed in COAD, and closely related to the clinical stage and lymph node metastasis. Western blot revealed that SREBF1 was significantly expressed in both HCT-116 and SW480 COAD cells; knockdown of SREBF1 could inhibit the proliferation, DNA replication, and migration of COAD cells. The AO staining, western blot, and IF experiments also showed that silencing SREBF1 could promote the autophagy of COAD cell. Meanwhile, the TIMER database indicates a significant positive correlation between the presence of immune cells in COAD and variations in copy number alteration of SREBF1 . Conclusion: SREBF1 might serve as a potential prognostic marker for COAD and be associated with immune cell infiltration. Keywords: Sterol regulatory element binding protein 1, Colonic neoplasms, Cell proliferation, Transcellular cell migration, Prognosis INTRODUCTION The most common cause of death from cancer is colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), which is also one of the most common types of cancers seen all over the globe. [1] It exhibits a high incidence rate, elevated mortality, and an unfavorable prognosis.[2] At present, the therapeutic modalities for This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non CommercialShare Alike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, transform, and build u

FAQs

What is the main research objective of the study?

To investigate how SREBF1 expression relates to tumor immune infiltration and the occurrence and development of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD).

How was SREBF1 expression evaluated in cancer and COAD models?

Public databases (TIMER, GEPIA, UALCAN) were used for pan-cancer and COAD expression patterns, and western blot was used in HCT-116 and SW480 cells.

What effects does SREBF1 knockdown have on COAD cells?

Knockdown inhibits COAD cell proliferation and migration, and it suppresses DNA replication while promoting autophagy in COAD cells.

Sep 21, 2026

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