# PDE3B and HBB are key prognostic biomarkers driving cell proliferation and regulating immune microenvironment in breast cancer

## TL;DR

This study identifies PDE3B and HBB as key biomarkers linked to breast cancer proliferation and immune environment changes, suggesting their potential for targeted therapies.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is identifying PDE3B and HBB as prognostic biomarkers influencing proliferation and immune infiltration in breast cancer.

## Key findings

- PDE3B and HBB are strongly associated with poor survival and immune cell infiltration in breast cancer.
- Overexpression of PDE3B and HBB enhances cancer cell proliferation, while their knockout suppresses it.
- Malignant cell type 3 shows the highest proliferative potential in breast cancer.

## Abstract

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous malignancy with diverse tumor subpopulations and complex tumor-immune interactions. This study explores the prognostic and functional roles of PDE3B and HBB in breast cancer, focusing on their contributions to proliferation and immune microenvironment modulation.

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and TCGA data were analyzed to identify malignant subpopulations and prognostic genes. Differential gene expression, KEGG enrichment, LASSO regression, and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were performed. Immune infiltration was assessed using EPIC deconvolution. Functional validation included qRT-PCR, IHC, Western blot, and proliferation assays in MDA-MB-231 cells.

Malignant cell type 3 exhibited the highest proliferative potential. PDE3B and HBB were identified as prognostic markers, strongly associated with poor survival and immune cell infiltration. Overexpression of these genes enhanced proliferation, while their knockout suppressed it.

PDE3B and HBB drive breast cancer proliferation and immune modulation, making them promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Further research should assess their potential in targeted therapies.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41065-025-00470-z.