The Ion Channel Gene KCNAB2 Is Associated with Poor Prognosis and Loss of Immune Infiltration in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Cells. 2022 Oct 31;11(21):3438. doi: 10.3390/cells11213438.

Abstract

The malignancy with the greatest global mortality rate is lung cancer. Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common subtype. The evidence demonstrated that voltage-gated potassium channel subunit beta-2 (KCNAB2) significantly participated in the initiation of colorectal cancer and its progression. However, the biological function of KCNAB2 in LUAD and its effect on the tumor immune microenvironment are still unknown. In this study, we found that the expression of KCNAB2 in tissues of patients with LUAD was markedly downregulated, and its downregulation was linked to accelerated cancer growth and poor clinical outcomes. In addition, low KCNAB2 expression was correlated with a deficiency in immune infiltration. The mechanism behind this issue might be that KCNAB2 influenced the immunological process such that the directed migration of immune cells was affected. Furthermore, overexpression of KCNAB2 in cell lines promoted the expression of CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL18, CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL12, which are necessary for the recruitment of immune cells. In conclusion, KCNAB2 may play a key function in immune infiltration and can be exploited as a predictive biomarker for evaluating prognosis and a possible immunotherapeutic target.

Keywords: KCNAB2; chemokine; immune infiltration; immunotherapy; lung adenocarcinoma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung* / immunology
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung* / pathology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / immunology
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated
  • Prognosis
  • Shaker Superfamily of Potassium Channels* / genetics
  • Tumor Microenvironment / genetics
  • Tumor Microenvironment / immunology

Substances

  • KCNAB2 protein, human
  • Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated
  • Shaker Superfamily of Potassium Channels

Grants and funding

This research was funded by grants from the Social Development Projects of Key R&D Programs in Jiangsu Province (BE2019643); the National Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20171178); General Program of Jiangsu Commission of Health (H2017083); the Project of Invigorating Health Care through Science, Technology, and Education, Jiangsu Provincial Medical Youth Talent (QNRC2016778); and the Social Development Projects of Key R&D Programs in Xuzhou city (2022).