{
  "abstract": "Background: Transforming growth factor beta regulator 4 (TBRG4), regulates mitochondrial RNA processing. TBRG4 has been implicated in the progression of several malignancies, but its biological function and clinical relevance in prostate cancer remain unclear.\n\nMethods: Publicly available data from The Cancer Genome Atlas prostate adenocarcinoma cohort and three Gene Expression Omnibus cohorts were analyzed. Differential expression was assessed independently in TCGA-PRAD, GSE88808, GSE46602, and GSE70768. Progression-free survival (PFS) was evaluated in TCGA-PRAD. External PFS analyses were conducted in GSE70768 and GSE46602 using the publicly available biochemical-recurrence status and corresponding follow-up time. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were performed in PC3 and DU145 cells, which showed the highest baseline TBRG4 expression among the tested prostate cancer cell lines. A PC3 subcutaneous xenograft was used for in vivo validation.\n\nResults: TBRG4 was upregulated in the analyzed PCa cohorts and cell lines and was associated with higher Gleason score, prostate-specific antigen level, and pathologic T category. High TBRG4 expression was associated with shorter PFS in TCGA-PRAD in univariable analysis [hazard ratio (HR), 2.138; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.180–3.872; P = 0.012], but not after multivariable adjustment (HR, 1.411; 95% CI, 0.771–2.582; P = 0.264). TBRG4 overexpression increased colony formation, migration, invasion, and wound closure and was accompanied by decreased E-cadherin and increased N-cadherin and vimentin expression. TBRG4 knockdown produced the opposite effects. High TBRG4 expression was associated with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway enrichment, and TBRG4 manipulation was accompanied by changes in pathway-protein phosphorylation. TBRG4 knockdown also reduced PC3 xenograft growth.\n\nConclusions: TBRG4 is upregulated across the evaluated prostate cancer cohorts and is associated with adverse clinicopathological features in TCGA-PRAD. Functionally, TBRG4 supports tumor growth and invasive phenotypes, accompanied by changes in PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. Associations between TBRG4 expression and progression-free survival were observed in selected cohorts, suggesting that TBRG4 may represent a prognostic factor in prostate cancer.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Urology, The Second Hospital & Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou University",
    "Gansu Province Clinical Research Center for Urinary System Diseases, Institute of Urology, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University",
    "Lanzhou University Second Hospital"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 13,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Wenxuan Li"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Xi Xiao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Ting Wang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Yang Liu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Shuai Liu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Xin Guan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Rundong Li"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Kun Zhao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Zhongze Zhou"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Yang Bai"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Yunchen Miao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Yan Tao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Zhilong Dong"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5r7bq96w8852r.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fonc.2026.1982091",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "5r7bq96w8852r",
  "issns": [
    "2234-943X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2026.1982091/full",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-29",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5r7bq96w8852r.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:14Z",
      "native_id": "10.3389/fonc.2026.1982091",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2026.1982091/full"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "issn:2234-943X",
      "subfield": "oncology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "The clinical and biological significance of TBRG4 expression in prostate cancer",
  "title_text": "The clinical and biological significance of TBRG4 expression in prostate cancer",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-31T00:21:08Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5r7bq96w8852r",
  "venue": "Frontiers in Oncology",
  "versions": []
}