REXO2 up-regulation is positively correlated with poor prognosis and tumor immune infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma

作者：Tianmiao Zhang, Rongcheng Zhang, Zhongqi Zhang, Di Li, Xuefeng Guo, Zhengbao Zhang, Xiaonian Zhu, Shengkui Tan · 发表于：International Immunopharmacology · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111740 · 被引用次数：7 · 研究领域：Immune Response and Inflammation、Ferroptosis and cancer prognosis、Mitochondrial Function and Pathology

• REXO2 is up-regulated in HCC tissues and correlated with HCC metastasis. • High expression of REXO2 is an independent risk factor for the overall survival and disease-free survival of HCC patients. • REXO2 may promote HCC metastasis by regulating TNF and NF-κB signaling pathway. • REXO2 can be a potential drug target for HCC immunotherapy through mediating immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint CTLA-4 expression. As a homologous counterpart to the prokaryotic oligonuclease found in the cellular cytoplasm and mitochondrion, REXO2 assumes a pivotal role in the maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis. Nevertheless, the precise functions and mechanisms by which REXO2 operates within the context of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have hitherto remained unexamined. The expression levels of REXO2 in HCC tissues were evaluated through the utilization of the immunohistochemical (IHC) method, and subsequently, the association between REXO2 expression and the clinicopathological characteristics of HCC patients was scrutinized employing the χ 2 test. A battery of experimental assays, encompassing CCK8 viability assessment, cell colony formation, wound healing, and transwell assays, were conducted with the aim of elucidating the biological role of REXO2 within HCC cells. Complementary bioinformatics analyses were undertaken to discern potential correlations between REXO2 and immune infiltration in tumor tissues. Our IHC findings have unveiled a notable up-regulation of REXO2 wit...