Transcriptome analysis combined with single-cell analysis identified that APOC1 influences cholesterol transport by macrophages in ccRCC.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most prevalent categories of cancer worldwide, accounting for approximately 2% of cancer diagnoses and cancer deaths worldwide. various immunotherapeutic strategies have emerged as key approaches to managing advanced RCC. Bioinformatics methodologies were employed to analyze the TCGA-KIRC RNA sequencing dataset, GSE105261, GSE168845, and single-cell dataset GSE121636. Various techniques, including PCR, Western blotting, migration assays, scratch wound assays, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence staining, were utilized to elucidate the functional characteristics of the tumor. In this study, we obtained transcriptome RNA sequencing data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Using the ESTIMATE algorithm, 249 immune-related genes were identified. Additionally, single-cell RNA sequencing data were integrated to determine the immune-related genes that affect the prognosis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Eventually, a total of 42 immune-related genes (IMDGs) were identified. Subsequently, in vitro experiments confirmed that APOC1 is highly expressed in ccRCC and significantly affects the migration and proliferation of ccRCC cells. Furthermore, our findings indicate that APOC1 plays a critical role in modulating cholesterol transport within macrophages and significantly contributes to the polarization of macrophages toward the M2 phenotype.