Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42151900›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2026

SLC39A6 as a pan-cancer promising biomarker and actionable therapeutic target for CH5132799 sensitivity.

Li Hongmin, Wang Yufei, Wang Yuwei, Yuan Dongqi, Li Mengjie, Su Yudong, Chen Peng, Zhang Jinghua

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Li HongminDepartment of Thoracic Oncology, Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, 300060, China.
Wang YufeiDepartment of Traumatic Orthopedics II, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou, 061000, China.
Wang YuweiDepartment of Thoracic Oncology, Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, 300060, China.
Yuan DongqiDepartment of Thoracic Oncology, Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, 300060, China.
Li MengjieDepartment of Thoracic Oncology, Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, 300060, China.
Su YudongDepartment of Thoracic Oncology, Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, 300060, China.
Chen PengDepartment of Thoracic Oncology, Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, 300060, China. chenpeng@tjmuch.com.
Zhang JinghuaDepartment First of Oncology, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou, 061000, China. zhangjinghuazlnk@163.com.

Funding

Cangzhou Central Hospital Level Project YJ2024019Tianjin Key Medical Discipline Construction Project TJYXZDXK-3-003A
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe zinc transporter SLC39A6, a member of the ZIP (Zrt-Irt-like protein) family, mediates zinc influx from the extracellular milieu into the cytosol and is indispensable for the function of numerous enzymes, transcription factors and signaling molecules. Previous studies have shown that SLC39A6 expression is associated with prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and cervical cancer, indicating its potential impact on patient survival and tumor immunity. But a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of SLC39A6 is still lacking. This study aimed to systematically delineate the oncogenic and prognostic relevance of SLC39A6 across multiple cancer types, to unravel its interplay with immune-infiltration patterns in the tumor micro-environment, and to preliminarily identify SLC39A6-associated therapeutic vulnerabilities.

methodsSLC39A6 expression profiles were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and cross-validated with GTEx, TIMER, HPA, cBioPortal, GEPIA2, STRING, KEGG, GO and other public repositories. Pan-cancer analyses were performed to characterize expression patterns, prognostic value, mutational landscape and functional networks. We further interrogated correlations between SLC39A6 and immune infiltration, tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI) and immune-regulatory genes. Drug-sensitivity associations were evaluated using the CellMiner database, which facilitated molecular docking to predict binding poses and subsequent in vivo validation of lead compounds.

resultsSLC39A6 exhibited marked dysregulation across diverse tumor types and was significantly linked to patient survival. High SLC39A6 expression is associated with reduced overall survival and progression-free survival, particularly in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CESC), as evidenced by studies that have analyzed the gene's expression and its impact on patient survival. Immune deconvolution revealed robust associations between SLC39A6 levels and the abundance of cytotoxic T cells, dendritic cells, macrophages and other immune subsets. CellMiner analyses demonstrated that increased levels of SLC39A6 resulted in enhanced sensitivity to the PI3Kα inhibitor CH5132799. Molecular docking studies predicted a strong affinity between CH5132799 and the zinc-binding pocket of SLC39A6, while mouse xenograft models further validated that CH5132799 effectively inhibited SLC39A6-mediated tumor growth.

conclusionSLC39A6 regulates the dynamics of immune infiltration and impacts prognosis in a wide range of malignancies. It emerges as a promising biomarker for prognosis, immunology, and therapy in the field of precision oncology.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsBiomarkers, TumorCation Transport ProteinsNeoplasmsAnimalsFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMolecular Docking SimulationNeoplasm ProteinsPrognosisAntineoplastic AgentsBiomarkers, TumorCation Transport ProteinsNeoplasm ProteinsSLC39A6 protein, humanBioinformaticsCH5132799Immunotherapy responsePrognosisSLC39A6

Identifiers

PMID42151900
PMCPMC13366974

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.