Abstract
BACKGROUND: MRPL3, a member of the mitochondrial ribosomal family, is involved in the translation of mitochondria-related proteins. However, its role in tumors remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the oncogenic role and prognostic significance of MRPL3 in cancer. METHODS: We conducted a pan-cancer analysis of MRPL3 using various databases, bioinformatics and statistical tools, as well as tissue microarray analysis. RESULTS: MRPL3 was generally upregulated in tumors compared to normal tissues. Its expression showed a negative correlation with immunogenic markers, immune cell infiltration, and immune checkpoint genes (ICGs) in most cancers, suggesting an immunosuppressive role in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Genes interacting with and similar to MRPL3 were involved in key signaling pathways across cancers. MRPL3 overexpression was frequently associated with poor prognosis and identified as an independent prognostic risk factor in KIRC, LUSC, LIHC, MESO, UCEC, and PAAD. CONCLUSION: MRPL3 is overexpressed in multiple cancers and plays an immunosuppressive role, significantly correlating with poor prognosis, indicating its potential as a therapeutic target in cancer treatment.