Pan-cancer analysis identified IGF2BP2 as a potential prognostic biomarker for multiple tumor types

Abstract

Abstract Background Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) mRNA-binding proteins 2 (IGF2BP2/IMP2), an RNA-binding protein encoded by the IGF2BP2 gene, exerts its influence across diverse pathological pathways. While accumulating evidence underscores the potential significance of IGF2BP2 in the tumorigenesis of specific cancers, a comprehensive pan-cancer investigation into its role remains absent. Methods Consequently, we conducted an exhaustive exploration employing a multitude of databases to elucidate the plausible oncogenic implications of IGF2BP2. This encompassed a comprehensive scrutiny of its expression profiles, prognostic implications, association with cancer-associated fibroblast infiltration, biological functionality in distinct tumor contexts, and plausible correlations with drug sensitivities. Results Our findings showed that IGF2BP2 was highly expressed in some types of cancers, but presented at low levels in several cancer types. Furthermore, the role of IGF2BP2 in predicting prognosis exhibited a dichotomous interplay across varied cancer types. Remarkably, observations unveiled the cancer-associated fibroblast infiltration within specific tumors, notably encompassing breast invasive carcinoma of the luminal A subtype, kidney renal clear cell carcinoma, ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma, pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma, and prostate adenocarcinoma, and thymoma. Intriguingly, gene enrichment analyses spotlighted the co-expression of IGF2BP2 with genes implicated in pivotal biological processes, including DNA replication and recombinational repair. Conclusion Our investigation intricately unveils the potential of IGF2BP2 as a versatile prognostic biomarker across diverse tumor categories. This study bridges existing knowledge gaps and augments the understanding of IGF2BP2’s intricate involvement in tumorigenesis, underscoring its significance as a prospective avenue for therapeutic intervention.