A pancancer analysis of the oncogenic role of ZNRF2 in human tumours

Abstract

AbstractFinding effective treatments for cancer requires a thorough understanding of how it develops and progresses. Recent research has revealed the crucial role that Zinc and ring finger 2 (ZNRF2) play in the progression of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by controlling cell growth and death. However, a comprehensive analysis of ZNRF2's role in cancer as a whole has yet to be conducted. Our study sought to investigate the impact of ZNRF2 on diverse human tumours, as well as the molecular pathways involved, using databases such as TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas), GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) and the Human Protein Atlas (HPA), as well as several bioinformatic tools. Our findings indicate that ZNRF2 is generally expressed at higher levels in tumours than in normal tissues, and in some cancers, its levels correlate positively with disease stage, potentially predicting a poor prognosis for patients. We also discovered genetic changes in ZNRF2 among cancer patients, as well as its relationship with cancer‐related fibroblasts, endothelial cells and immune cell infiltration. Additionally, we explored potential molecular mechanisms of ZNRF2 in tumours, finding that it increases in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and that inhibiting its expression through ZNRF2 siRNA can limit HepG2 cell proliferation. Overall, our study provides a comprehensive overview of ZNRF2's oncogenic roles across various cancers.