Comprehensive analysis of KRT15 in pan-cancer and verification in lung adenocarcinoma

Abstract Objectives Evidence from previous documents points to the involvement of the keratin 15 (KRT15) gene in the modulation of signaling networks governing cancer cell death, survival, proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis. Nonetheless, its relevance in pan-cancer studies and the precise molecular mechanisms involved in lung cancer remain poorly understood. To comprehensively investigate the clinical relevance of the KRT15 gene in human lung cancer and a diverse array of cancers. Methods A comprehensive investigation of the clinical relevance of the KRT15 gene in a diverse array of human tumors was conducted. In light of this, the study also examined the possible link between the KRT15 gene and tumor immunogenic features. Based on the outcomes of pan-cancer analysis, we selected lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) as the specific tumor type for an in-depth investigation into KRT15-induced signaling pathways and intercellular communications contributing to tumor progression. Results According to our study, KRT15 may hold significance as a newly identified biomarker, potentially contributing to both prognostic evaluation and immunotherapeutic targeting across various cancer types. Significantly, KRT15 was hypothesized to function as a guiding marker gene, holding potential for clinical prognostication and personalized tumor-specific therapies in LUAD. Suppression of KRT15 significantly impaired lung cancer cells’ growth, migration, invasion, and survival. Conclusions KRT15 possesses the potential to be an innovative biomarker and therapeutic target, playing a role in predicting the prognosis and treatment response of LUAD patients.