Pan-cancer analysis identifies GPRIN1 as a prognostic biomarker and promoter of cell proliferation in pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND: G protein-regulated inducer of neurite outgrowth 1 (GPRIN1), an emerging modulator of GPCR signaling, has been implicated in oncogenesis. However, its comprehensive role across human cancers, particularly in reshaping the tumor microenvironment (TME), remains poorly characterized. We aimed to elucidate the pan-cancer significance of GPRIN1 in TME modulation and its therapeutic implications. METHODS: We analyzed multi-omics data from TCGA and other public databases, performing a systematic analysis of GPRIN1 regarding expression, prognosis, immune infiltration, and genomic instability across 33 cancer types. To validate these bioinformatic findings, we performed lentiviral shRNA-mediated knockdown in pancreatic (PANC-1) and hepatic (HepG2) cancer cells to assess proliferation and migration. Crucially, the clinical relevance of GPRIN1 was further validated in an independent cohort of pancreatic cancer patients (N = 17) using immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS: T cell abundance. In vitro assays demonstrated that GPRIN1 depletion significantly inhibited cell proliferation and migration (P < 0.0001). In the clinical validation cohort, multivariate Cox regression analysis identified high GPRIN1 protein levels as an independent predictor of post-operative recurrence. These patients also showed a trend toward extended overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: These findings define GPRIN1 as a context-dependent regulator of the TME. By integrating computational and experimental data, this study supports GPRIN1 as a potential biomarker for risk assessment in pancreatic cancer.