NCAPG2 could be an immunological and prognostic biomarker: From pan-cancer analysis to pancreatic cancer validation

Qi Wang; Zhangzuo Li; Shujing Zhou; Zhengrui Li; Xufeng Huang; Yiwei He; Yuhan Zhang; Xiaoxian Zhao; Yidan Tang; Min Xu

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2023.1097403

NCAPG2 could be an immunological and prognostic biomarker: From pan-cancer analysis to pancreatic cancer validation

Front Immunol. 2023 Jan 27:14:1097403. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1097403. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Qi Wang¹, Zhangzuo Li², Shujing Zhou³, Zhengrui Li^{4

5

6}, Xufeng Huang⁷, Yiwei He⁸, Yuhan Zhang^{4

5

6}, Xiaoxian Zhao^{4

5

6}, Yidan Tang³, Min Xu¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China.
² Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China.
³ Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
⁴ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
⁵ National Center for Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China.
⁶ Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China.
⁷ Faculty of Dentistry, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
⁸ Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.

Abstract

More recently, NCAPG2 has emerged as an intrinsically essential participant of the condensin II complex involved in the process of chromosome cohesion and stabilization in mitosis, and its position in particular tumours is now being highlighted. Simultaneously, the genetic properties of NCAPG2 hint that it might have enormous potential to interpret the malignant progression of tumors in a broader perspective, that is, in pan-cancer. Yet, at present, this recognition remains merely superficial and there is a lack of more detailed studies to explore the underlying pathogenesis. To meet this need, the current study was undertaken to comprehensively elucidate the potential functions of NCAPG2 in pan-cancer, based on a combination of existing databases like TCGA and GTEx. NCAPG2 was identified to be overexpressed in almost every tumor and to exhibit significant prognostic and diagnostic efficacy. Furthermore, the correlation between NCAPG2 and selected immune features, namely immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint genes, TMB, MSI, etc. also indicates that NCAPG2 could potentially be applied in guidance of immunotherapy. Subsequently, in pancreatic cancer, this study further clarified the utility of NCAPG2 that downregulation of its expression could result in reduced proliferation, invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells, among such phenotypical changes, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition disruption could be at least one of the possible mechanisms raising or enhancing tumorigenesis. Taken above, NCAPG2, as a member of pan-oncogenes, would serve as a biomarker and potential therapeutic target for a range of malignancies, sharing new insights into precision medicine.

Keywords: NCAPG2; biomarker; immune infiltration; immunity; pan-cancer; pancreatic cancer.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Carcinogenesis
Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
Humans
Oncogenes
Pancreatic Neoplasms* / diagnosis
Pancreatic Neoplasms* / genetics
Prognosis

Substances

NCAPG2 protein, human
Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82072754), Jiangsu Provincial Key Research and Development Program (No. BE2018689), Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (No. M2020011) and Zhenjiang Key Research and Development Program (No. SH2018033).