The Role of PLIN3 in Prognosis and Tumor-Associated Macrophage Infiltration: A Pan-Cancer Analysis

Nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 (PLIN3), a member of the perilipin family, plays a critical role in lipid droplet dynamics and is implicated in promoting tumor progression across several cancers. However, its influence on the tumor immune microenvironment and its potential as a prognostic indicator regarding immunotherapy responses have yet to be systematically evaluated. This study leverages data retrieved from multiple databases to address these questions.

PLIN3 mRNA and protein expressions were analyzed across a diverse range of normal and cancerous tissues, utilizing data retrieved from multiple databases. The potential of PLIN3 as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in cancers was assessed. Advanced computational algorithms were employed to examine the impact of PLIN3 on immune cell infiltration. The association between PLIN3 expression and the presence of M2 macrophages was validated through analyses incorporating bulk and single-cell transcriptomics, spatial transcriptomics, and multicolor fluorescence staining techniques. Furthermore, the effects of PLIN3 on tumor malignancy and growth were investigated in vitro in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells. Potential compounds targeting PLIN3 were identified using the Connectivity Map (cMap) web tool, and their efficacy was further assessed through molecular docking.