Functional characterization of GNA11 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: bioinformatics and cellular functional analysis

Guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit alpha 11 (GNA11) has an established role in various types of cancer, however, its involvement in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains uncharted.Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project were utilized to analyze GNA11 expression across various cancers, its functional enrichment pathways in ESCC, and its correlation with immune infiltration.Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to quantify GNA11 expression across different cell types.Realtime quantitative PCR and Western blotting were conducted to verify the GNA11 expression levels.ESCC cells KYSE150 and TE1 were transduced to construct knockdown and overexpression models.Proliferation was assessed using growth curve analysis, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assays, and colony formation assays.Wound healing and transwell assays evaluated the impact of GNA11 on cancer cell migration and invasion.Functional enrichment analysis revealed associations with key pathways.Additionally, GNA11 interacts with proteins involved in G protein-coupled receptor and chemokine signaling pathways.Single-cell RNA sequencing and immune infiltration analyses indicated a positive correlation between GNA11 expression and tumor microenvironment components.In vitro experiments showed that GNA11 overexpression enhanced the proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities of ESCC cells, whereas GNA11 knockdown produced the opposite effects.This study is the first to elucidate the critical role of GNA11 in the development and progression of ESCC.Abnormally high expression of GNA11 promotes ESCC and potentially influences interactions between stromal cells and malignant cells.Thus, GNA11 could serve as a promising therapeutic target for ESCC treatment.