Protocadherin 8 (PCDH8), a calcium-dependent transmembrane protein in the protocadherin family, regulates cell adhesion and signal transduction. While some studies have provided indirect evidence that PCDH8 has cancer-promoting properties, this association is controversial. In particular, its involvement in thyroid cancer (THCA) remains unclear. We aimed to elucidate the role of PCDH8 in THCA using bioinformatic analysis. Subsequently, the results were experimentally validated. The analysis conducted using the R programming language and online web tools explored PCDH8 expression levels, prognostic, and clinical implications, and its relationship with the tumor immune microenvironment in THCA. Furthermore, we examined the association between PCDH8 and co-expressed genes, highlighting their involvement in several biological processes relevant to THCA. The potential of PCDH8 as a therapeutic target for this pathology was also explored. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was performed on samples from 98 patients with THCA, and experimental validation was carried out. PCDH8 was significantly elevated in cancer tissues and associated with poor prognosis, several clinical factors, and immune cell and checkpoint abundance. Cox regression and survival analyses, together with Receiver Operating Curves (ROC) indicated that PCDH8 was an independent prognostic factor for THCA. Furthermore, PCDH8 impacts cell viability and proliferation, promoting tumorigenesis. Also, it influences tumor cell sensitivity to various drugs. Thus, PCDH8 might be a potential therapeutic target for THCA. IHC, cell culture, MTT, and colony formation experiments further confirmed our findings. This analysis provided insights into the potential carcinogenic role of PCDH8 in THCA, as it impacts cell viability and proliferation. Thus, PCDH8 might play an important role in its prognosis, immune infiltration, and diagnosis.

原钙粘蛋白 8 (PCDH8) 是原钙粘蛋白家族中的一种钙依赖性跨膜蛋白，调节细胞粘附和信号转导。虽然一些研究提供了 PCDH8 具有促癌特性的间接证据，但这种关联存在争议。特别是，它与甲状腺癌（THCA）的关系仍不清楚。我们的目的是利用生物信息学分析阐明 PCDH8 在 THCA 中的作用。随后，该结果得到了实验验证。使用 R 编程语言和在线网络工具进行的分析探讨了 PCDH8 表达水平、预后和临床意义及其与 THCA 中肿瘤免疫微环境的关系。此外，我们检查了 PCDH8 和共表达基因之间的关联，强调它们参与与 THCA 相关的几个生物过程。还探讨了 PCDH8 作为这种病理学治疗靶点的潜力。对 98 名 THCA 患者的样本进行了免疫组织化学 (IHC) 染色，并进行了实验验证。PCDH8 在癌症组织中显着升高，并与不良预后、多种临床因素以及免疫细胞和检查点丰度相关。Cox 回归和生存分析以及受试者工作曲线 (ROC) 表明 PCDH8 是 THCA 的独立预后因素。此外，PCDH8 影响细胞活力和增殖，促进肿瘤发生。此外，它还影响肿瘤细胞对各种药物的敏感性。因此，PCDH8可能是THCA的潜在治疗靶点。IHC、细胞培养、MTT 和集落形成实验进一步证实了我们的发现。该分析深入了解了 THCA 中 PCDH8 的潜在致癌作用，因为它影响细胞活力和增殖。因此，PCDH8可能在其预后、免疫浸润和诊断中发挥重要作用。