Systematic pan-cancer analysis reveals context-dependent prognostic and immunological roles of WDR1 with divergent effects in renal and gastric cancers

To evaluate the expression patterns, prognostic value, molecular features, and immune associations of WDR1 across various cancers.

Data Analysis: Integrated datasets from TCGA, GTEx, and GEO were analyzed using R software and online bioinformatics platforms to assess WDR1 characteristics.
Functional Enrichment: Functional enrichment and drug sensitivity analyses were conducted, alongside in vitro experiments for validation.

WDR1 exhibited heterogeneous expression across different cancers with tumor-type–dependent prognostic significance.
WDR1 displayed differential DNA methylation patterns and was positively correlated with multiple RNA methylation–related regulators.
WDR1 expression correlated with tumor immune microenvironment features, including myeloid and stromal cell infiltration.
WDR1 was associated with differential responses to various therapeutic agents.
Experimental validation showed WDR1 had context-dependent effects on renal and gastric cancer cells.

WDR1 is linked to tumor progression and immune microenvironment remodeling in a context-dependent manner.

The study primarily focused on integrated data analysis without extensive experimental validation across all cancer types.
Context-dependent roles of WDR1 in different cancers may complicate its use as a universal biomarker.

WDR1 may serve as a potential biomarker for further investigation in cancer due to its varied roles in tumor progression and immune interactions.