HSP90AA1 as a Prognostic Biomarker and Immune Microenvironment Regulator in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

<title>Abstract</title> <p>Heat Shock Protein 90 Alpha Family Class A Member 1 (HSP90AA1) acts as a pivotal molecular chaperone in oncogenesis, yet its precise role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) remains unclear. This study integrated bioinformatics with experimental validation to elucidate the expression, prognostic value, and immunological implications of HSP90AA1 in HNSC. Transcriptional profiling using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) revealed pronounced HSP90AA1 upregulation, which was confirmed by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses identified high HSP90AA1 expression as an independent adverse prognostic factor. Furthermore, computational immune infiltration analyses demonstrated that HSP90AA1 levels significantly correlate with altered tumor microenvironment (TME) immune architecture. These findings indicate that HSP90AA1 is a critical biomarker for HNSC, offering substantial potential for diagnosis, prognosis, and predicting immunotherapeutic efficacy.</p>