Transcriptomic analysis reveals potential crosstalk genes and immune relationship between triple-negative breast cancer and depression

Discov Oncol. 2024 Dec 18;15(1):762. doi: 10.1007/s12672-024-01562-4.

Abstract

TNBC, the most aggressive form of breast cancer, lacks accurate and effective therapeutic targets. Immunotherapy presents a promising approach for addressing TNBC. Anxiety and depression are frequently concurrent symptoms in TNBC patients. MDD affects the tumor immune microenvironment of TNBC, with its characteristic genes affecting the pathophysiology of MDD and potentially increasing the risk of TNBC recurrence and metastasis. This study reveals significant differences in T lymphocyte infiltration between high-risk and low-risk TNBC groups based on MDD feature genes. This finding aids in identifying TNBC patients who may benefit from immunotherapy, providing new insights for future TNBC immunotherapy strategies. Our aim is to identify MDD-related genes involved in the pathogenesis of TNBC and to provide predictive biomarkers for TNBC immunotherapy.

Keywords: Immune cell infiltration; Major depressive disorder; Prognostic value; Single-cell sequencing; Triple-negative breast cancer.