Integrin <i>α</i> L (ITGAL): A Promising Biomarker for the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Colon Adenocarcinoma

Objective: Our study aims to analyze the potential value of integrin αL (ITGAL) in the diagnosis and prognostic observation of colon adenocarcinoma. Given the high incidence and significant mortality associated with colorectal cancer, identifying robust biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis is of utmost importance. Methods: This study analyzed transcriptomic data from 480 colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) patients and adjacent normal tissues obtained from the GSE44861 database. ITGAL expression patterns were compared across clinical TNM stages using Chi-square tests, with Wilcoxon rank-sum test applied to assess expression differences between tumor and adjacent tissues. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression were performed to evaluate ITGAL's prognostic significance. Immune cell infiltration analysis was conducted through the TIMER2.0 platform, examining correlations between ITGAL expression and 24 immune cell subtypes. Human colorectal cancer Lovo cells and T-lymphoblastic leukemia Jurkat cells were cultured under standard conditions. Cells were divided into three experimental groups: ITGAL non-targeting control (ITGAL-NC), ITGAL knockdown (ITGAL-KD), and ITGAL overexpression (ITGAL-OE). In vitro cellular behaviors were assessed through cell scratch assay and transwell invasion assay.