Krt78, a member of the keratin gene family, may play a role in processes like keratinization [2,5]. Keratins are intermediate filament proteins important for maintaining the structural integrity of epithelial cells. Although not many studies detail its specific associated pathways, it's likely involved in pathways related to cell structure and differentiation. Genetic models could potentially be valuable in further exploring its functions.

Krt78 has been associated with several diseases. In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), its expression levels correlate with infiltration levels of CD8+ T cells and macrophages, and also with overall survival. Protein expression levels of Krt78 in HNSCC are significantly lower than in normal tissues, suggesting it might serve as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker [1]. In oropharyngeal carcinoma, Krt78 shows low expression, and in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, it was identified as one of the hub genes through weighted gene co-expression network analysis [4,7]. In metastatic melanoma, Krt78 was among the hub genes involved in immune response and tumor cell development [6]. In silicosis, the plasma level of TNF-α was negatively correlated with the expression of exosomal Krt78 [3].

In conclusion, Krt78 appears to be involved in multiple disease-related processes, especially in cancers like HNSCC, oropharyngeal carcinoma, laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, and metastatic melanoma. Its potential as a biomarker in these diseases, along with its relationship to immune cell infiltration and cytokine levels in silicosis, highlights its importance in disease diagnosis and prognosis. The study of Krt78 in these disease areas provides insights into disease mechanisms and potential diagnostic or prognostic strategies [1,3,4,6,7].