HPGDS as a biomarker for prognosis and immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a highly aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis, is partly attributed to its immunosuppressive microenvironment. Hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase (HPGDS), a key enzyme in prostaglandin D2 biosynthesis, plays a significant role in lipid metabolism and inflammatory signalling. Here, we comprehensively investigated the expression profile, biological significance, and immunotherapeutic potential of HPGDS in PDAC via bioinformatics analyses and experimental approaches. Our findings revealed that HPGDS is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissues and cell lines and is closely associated with low tumor differentiation and immune evasion. Notably, HPGDS knockdown significantly inhibited pancreatic cancer cell proliferation. This study identifies HPGDS as a potential biomarker for prognosis and therapeutic efficacy assessment in patients with PDAC and suggests that it could be a promising target for developing novel immunotherapies.