Validation of KRT17 as a Multi-Dimensional Oncogenic Driver for Cancer Using AI

Artificial intelligence–assisted prompting offers a transformative strategy for rapidly identifying and contextualizing biological targets. Using Swalife PromptStudio, we present a case study of (Keratin 17) KRT17 that stands out as a compelling therapeutic target in oral cancer, where its genetic, molecular, and systems-level evidence converge on a pathogenic role. In tumors, KRT17 is consistently overexpressed, acting not only as a structural keratin but also as a signaling regulator. Multi-omics profiling demonstrates strong transcript–protein concordance, high biomarker potential (AUC ≈ 0.89), and novel links to cancer metabolism, suggesting it supports glycolysis while suppressing TCA flux. Pathway mapping places KRT17 centrally within the MAPK cascade, regulating apoptosis resistance and epithelial–mesenchymal transition, processes critical for invasion and metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Protein interaction analysis identifies it as a conserved hub-bottleneck alongside druggable partners like EGFR. Collectively, these data highlight KRT17 inhibition as a genetically validated and mechanistically grounded strategy for oral cancer therapy.