CMTM6 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma invasion and metastasis and tumor-associated neutrophil immunoinfiltration through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Background CMTM6 is closely associated with the onset and progression of different types of tumors. However, the exact mechanism by which CMTM6 operates in hepatocellular carcinoma remains unclear, necessitating further investigation. Methods The expression levels of CMTM6 in liver cancer tissues and cells were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR. The study also investigated the relationship between CMTM6 expression in liver cancer tissues and clinical pathological characteristics and patient prognosis. Additionally, the proliferation and apoptosis of liver cancer cells with silenced or overexpressed CMTM6 were assessed, along with the measurement of β-catenin and Wnt1 protein expression levels. In vivo research was conducted using a mouse subcutaneous transplantation model. Furthermore, GSEA and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed to explore the regulatory mechanism of CMTM6. The study also examined the expression level of CD66b in tumor tissue using immunohistochemistry and analyzed the immune infiltration of CMTM6 and tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs). Result Increased expression levels of CMTM6 in liver cancer tissues and cells have been found to be associated with a poor prognosis for patients. Furthermore, overexpression of CMTM6 in liver cancer cells has been shown to promote cell proliferation and inhibit apoptosis. Mechanistically, the expression level of CMTM6 in liver cancer tissues has been observed to be positively correlated with the expression of β-catenin. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis have demonstrated that CMTM6 is significantly enriched in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and is involved in its regulation. Additionally, CMTM6 has been found to be associated with immune infiltration of tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) in liver cancer tissues. Conclusion CMTM6 plays a crucial role in the development and progression of liver cancer by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway through β-catenin. Additionally, CMTM6 has the ability to promote immune infiltration of tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) in liver cancer tissues. Consequently, CMTM6 holds potential as both an early diagnostic marker and a novel therapeutic target for patients with liver cancer.