Integrated analyses reveal CXCL11 as an inhibitor in ovarian cancer and its facilitation of an M1 macrophage switch via the JAK2/STAT1 pathway
M1-like tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) have been put forth as a critical component in the advancement of cancer biology, including oncogenesis, development, invasion, metastasis, and the formation of tumor microenvironment (TME). Nevertheless, there has been a paucity of research examining the functions and associated molecular mechanisms of the M1-like TAMs in ovarian cancer (OC). The objective of this study is twofold: first, to gain a deeper understanding of the positive role of M1-like TAMs in OC; and second, to identify reliable biomarkers to stratify the risk of disease progression in OC patients via integrated analyses. Leveraging combined single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk transcriptomic data, we systematically identified M1 macrophage-associated molecules and established their prognostic significance in OC. CXCL11 was pinpointed as the central biomarker, with its protective role further validated through bioinformatics analyses and in vitro functional assays. Collectively, our findings advance the understanding of M1 macrophage-related molecular networks in OC and reveal CXCL11 as a dual-functional entity: a favorable prognostic biomarker and a positive regulatory molecule of M1 polarization via the JAK2-STAT1 pathway. These insights position CXCL11 as a promising therapeutic target and prognostic indicator for OC, offering a new perspective for the immunotherapy of OC.