Comprehensive analysis of stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase in prostate adenocarcinoma: insights into gene expression, immune microenvironment and tumor progression

Prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) is a prevalent global malignancy which depends more on lipid metabolism for tumor progression compared to other cancer types. Although Stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase (SCD) is documented to regulate lipid metabolism in multiple cancers, landscape analysis of its implications in PRAD are still missing at present. Here, we conducted an analysis of diverse cancer datasets revealing elevated <i>SCD</i> expression in the PRAD cohort at both mRNA and protein levels. Interestingly, the elevated expression was associated with <i>SCD</i> promoter hypermethylation and genetic alterations, notably the L134V mutation. Integration of comprehensive tumor immunological and genomic data revealed a robust positive correlation between <i>SCD</i> expression levels and the abundance of CD8⁺ T cells and macrophages. Further analyses identified significant associations between <i>SCD</i> expression and various immune markers in tumor microenvironment. Single-cell transcriptomic profiling unveiled differential <i>SCD</i> expression patterns across distinct cell types within the prostate tumor microenvironment. The Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome analyses showed that <i>SCD</i> enriched pathways were primarily related to lipid biosynthesis, cholesterol biosynthesis, endoplasmic reticulum membrane functions, and various metabolic pathways. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis highlighted the involvement of elevated <i>SCD</i> expression in crucial cellular processes, including the cell cycle and biosynthesis of cofactors pathways. In functional studies, <i>SCD</i> overexpression promoted the proliferation, metastasis and invasion of prostate cancer cells, whereas downregulation inhibits these processes. This study provides comprehensive insights into the multifaceted roles of SCD in PRAD pathogenesis, underscoring its potential as both a therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker.