MRE11 as a plausible biomarker and prognostic bioindicator for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Objective: Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) ranks as the sixth most prevalent form of cancer worldwide. MRE11 protein contains multiple domains that play a role in the initiation of DNA repair. This study aimed to elucidate the expression and prognostic significance of MRE11 in HNSCC. Material and methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA-HNSCC) dataset comprising 520 HNSCC tissues and 44 normal tissues was initially used to evaluate the association between MRE11 expression and clinicopathologic characteristics. Kaplan–Meier plot was utilized for survival analysis. MRE11-immune cell interaction was analyzed using Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) database. Further, Insilco methods were used to explore the protein network and its association with other pathways. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to validate the MRE11 mRNA expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tissues in patient samples. Results: MRE11 expression was upregulated in HNSCC, and the expression significantly varied across different clinical stages, pathological grades, and initial treatment outcomes. Further, high MRE11 expression is associated with poorer survival outcomes. MRE11 overexpression is also linked to the activation of the HIPPO signaling pathway, the mTOR signaling pathway, and the MYC/MYCN signaling pathway. Conclusion: MRE 11 can be considered a novel prognostic biomarker for HNSCC, which can be leveraged for promising treatment outcomes. This research highlights MRE11 as a novel molecular biomarker for HNSCC and offers a new direction for its treatment, explicitly targeting MRE11 and its network for therapeutic intervention.