Comprehensive pan-cancer analysis reveals DEPDC1B as a novel prognostic biomarker in lung adenocarcinoma and clear cell renal cell carcinoma

DEPDC1B, a DEP domain-containing protein implicated in cell cycle regulation, has emerged as a potential player in tumorigenesis. However, its comprehensive roles across human cancers remain inadequately characterized. Through a systematic pan-cancer analysis, we investigated the oncogenic functions and clinical relevance of DEPDC1B, and demonstrated that DEPDC1B is aberrantly expressed in multiple cancer types and is significantly associated with patient prognosis, particularly in Lung Adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (KIRC). Further analysis revealed a strong correlation between DEPDC1B expression and the tumor immune microenvironment, including immune cell infiltration and the expression of key immune checkpoint genes, suggesting its potential as a biomarker for predicting response to immune checkpoint blockade therapy. We developed and validated prognostic nomograms integrating DEPDC1B expression and pathological stage, which reliably predicted patient survival in LUAD and KIRC. Gene set enrichment analysis indicated that DEPDC1B is involved in critical oncogenic pathways, including cell cycle progression, DNA replication, and metabolism. In vitro functional assays confirmed that DEPDC1B knockdown significantly suppressed the proliferation and migration of LUAD and KIRC cells. In summary, our study underscores DEPDC1B as a novel prognostic biomarker and a promising therapeutic target, providing valuable insights for cancer diagnosis and the development of targeted and immunotherapeutic strategies.