Identification of a Prognostic ceRNA Network Regulating TMBIM6 in Prostate Adenocarcinoma via Integrated Bioinformatic Analysis

TMBIM6, a transmembrane BAX inhibitor motif containing six proteins, is correlated with tumor progression and metastasis. While its correlation in several malignancies has been shown, its expression in prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) is unclear. In this work, we explored, using integrated bioinformatics, a novel ceRNA network of TMBIM6 involved in PRAD prognosis. According to TCGA and GEO datasets, we proposed a new TMBIM6/hsa-miR-222-3p/DHRS4-AS1 ceRNA axis associated with PRAD prognosis. The network was estimated by differential expression, correlation, and survival analysis. Co-expression analysis was used to identify pathways involved in tumor progression, and immune infiltration analysis suggested that there is a correlation between the expression of TMBIM6 and the abundance of epithelial cells. Overall, these results indicate that the DHRS4-AS1/hsa-miR-222-3p/TMBIM6 axis is involved in the progression of PRAD and may act as a prognostic biomarker. Our results provide a foundation for further experimental validation and potential clinical translation.