Exploring PKMYT1 as a potential marker for colorectal cancer progression through bioinformatics analyses and experimental validation

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignant tumor with high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide and only presents symptoms in later stage; no ideal biomarker is available for the early diagnosis of CRC. Therefore, it is important to explore novel molecules that significantly contribute to CRC progression. The cohort contains different stages of CRC were downloaded and comprehensive bioinformatics analyses were performed by Mfuzz, Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI), MCODE, ESTIMATE, and ssGSEA.The results revealed that Protein Kinase, Membrane Associated Tyrosine/Threonine 1 (PKMYT1) served as a functional hub gene and its high expression might be associated with an immunosuppressive microenvironment, therapeutic sensitivity and tumor progression. PKMYT1-related genes are linked to DNA replication, the cell cycle, and mismatch repair, indicating PKMYT1 functions as an oncogene and potential biomarker in CRC development. Moreover, in vitro experimental investigation was conducted and the data found that CRC tumor tissues and cells have elevated PKMYT1 expression. Knockdown of PKMYT1 by siRNAs significantly impaired the proliferation, cell cycling, migration, and invasion of CRC cells. In summary, this study demonstrated that PKMYT1 may be a promising target for therapeutic intervention and play a significant role in the development of CRC.