Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42738860›Full record

ArticleCells2026

Prognostic Relevance and Immune Correlates of DAPK1 Expression and CD4

Hsiao-Chi Lai, Keng-Ming Chang, Ching-Chih Lee

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Article in Cells, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Hsiao-Chi LaiDepartment of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813414, Taiwan.ORCID 0000-0002-8332-8970
Keng-Ming ChangDepartment of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813414, Taiwan.
Ching-Chih LeeDepartment of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813414, Taiwan.

Funding

Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital 115-098
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDeath-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) is a key regulator of apoptosis and immune responses; however, its prognostic significance in oral cancer remains insufficiently characterized. This study investigated the prognostic relevance of DAPK1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and examined its associations with immune infiltration and apoptosis-related signaling pathways.

methodsA retrospective translational study design was employed, integrating TCGA-based expression and methylation analyses of 528 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) tumors, UALCAN epigenetic profiling, GeneMANIA protein-protein interaction mapping, TIMER 2.0 immune correlation analyses in 422 HPV-negative HNSCC patients, and multiplex immunofluorescence validation using a tissue microarray cohort of 82 patients with histologically confirmed OSCC, of whom 75 were eligible for the final analysis at Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan.

resultsIn vitro validation using Western blot analysis in FaDu cells showed that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibition with gefitinib induced upregulation of DAPK1 protein expression at 10 μM and increased total caspase-3 expression. Higher DAPK1 signal in whole-field quantification was associated with increased CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell infiltration and enrichment of apoptosis-related pathways. Patients with high DAPK1 expression demonstrated a consistent protective trend for overall survival in a pre-specified fully adjusted primary model (adjusted HR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.21-1.21,

conclusionsCollectively, these findings suggest that DAPK1 is associated with apoptosis-related signaling, increased immune-cell infiltration, and favorable clinical outcomes in OSCC, although its independent prognostic value requires validation in larger cohorts.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Squamous CellCD4-Positive T-LymphocytesCD8-Positive T-LymphocytesDeath-Associated Protein KinasesLymphocytes, Tumor-InfiltratingMouth NeoplasmsSquamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and NeckAgedApoptosisCell Line, TumorFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisDAPK1 protein, humanDeath-Associated Protein Kinasesapoptosisdeath-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1)head and neck squamous cell carcinomaimmune infiltrationoral canceroverall survival

Identifiers

PMID42738860
PMCPMC13565161

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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.