The Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP) Gene Is Associated with High-Grade Bladder Cancer and Promotes Bladder Cancer Cell Proliferation

Bladder cancer (BLCA) is a globally prevalent malignancy that poses a severe threat to patient health. Accurate high/low-grade classification of BLCA is critical for tailoring effective treatment strategies. This study integrated eight single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets and bulk RNA sequencing test from bladder tissues in our hospital, performing cell subpopulation annotation, differential gene expression analysis, and pathway enrichment analysis. Focusing on Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP), we evaluated drug sensitivities and validated its functional role in BLCA using 5637 cell lines. Single-cell clustering identified distinct gene expression profiles between high/low-grade bladder epithelial cells, with the unfolded protein response pathway being most significantly enriched. Integrative analysis revealed COMP as a prognostic marker, positively correlated with 16 potential therapeutic drugs. In vitro experiments confirmed that COMP promotes BLCA cell proliferation. Our findings highlight COMP as an oncogenic driver in BLCA and provide drug targets for clinical translation.