Comprehensive bioinformatics and experimental analysis of PPOX reveals its carcinogenic effect in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Dysregulated heme biosynthesis is a hallmark of metabolic reprogramming in cancer; however, the role of protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPOX), the penultimate enzyme in the heme synthesis pathway, remains poorly characterized in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). This study aims to elucidate the regulatory mechanism of PPOX on the malignant phenotype of ccRCC to evaluate its potential as a precision biomarker.