The Pan-Cancer Landscape of MCUR1 Reveals Its Role as a Context-Dependent Oncogene and Immune Modulator

This study reveals a dual role for mitochondrial calcium regulator MCUR1 in cancer. While generally upregulated, it is downregulated in tumors from metabolically active tissues like kidney, correlating with opposing prognostic outcomes. MCUR1 expression is influenced by genomic alterations and is linked to RNA modification and TP53 mutations. High MCUR1 levels are associated with an "immune-cold" tumor microenvironment and reduced T-cell infiltration. Functionally, MCUR1 is involved in calcium signaling and cell cycle, with experimental knockdown suppressing tumor growth in osteosarcoma models.