The Role of NEK6 in Ovarian Cancer: Expression Profiles, Prognostic Implications, and Functional Insights

Ovarian Cancer (OC) is a leading malignancy among female reproductive tumors, often associated with late diagnosis and poor prognosis. Recent studies have implicated the novel serine/threonine kinase NEK6 as a critical player in cancer progression, but its role in OC remains unclear. This study investigates the expression of NEK6 in OC tissues and its impact on the disease’s progression and patient prognosis. Bioinformatics analyses demonstrated elevated NEK6 expression across multiple cancers, including OC. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining revealed that NEK6 expression was significantly higher in OC tissues compared to normal ovarian tissues and was associated with clinicopathological factors such as histological grade and metastasis. Functional assays, including MTT, Transwell, and flow cytometry, showed that NEK6 silencing via siRNAs suppressed OC cell growth, migration, and invasion while promoting apoptosis. Kaplan?Meier survival analysis highlighted a correlation between high NEK6 expression and reduced overall survival in OC patients. These findings suggest that NEK6 plays a critical role in OC progression and could serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target.