Exploration of the Prognostic Value of m5C Methylation Protein NOP2 and NSUN6 in Colon Cancer

作者：Bin Jiang, Jie Li, Jianguo Wang · 发表于：Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1089/gtmb.2024.0416 · 被引用次数：5 · 研究领域：RNA modifications and cancer、Cancer-related gene regulation、Epigenetics and DNA Methylation

Background:Colorectal cancer is a prevalent malignancy with high incidence and poor prognosis. This study explores the clinical significance of 5-methylcytosine RNA modification factors, specifically the NOP2/Sun RNA Methyltransferase (NSUN) family, in colorectal cancer. Methods:Utilizing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, we analyzed the expression levels of NSUN family members in tumor tissues, their prognostic relevance, and their relationship with immune cell infiltration. To further investigate, paraffin-embedded cancer tissue microarrays were used to assess the expression of NOP2 Nucleolar Protein (NOP2) and NSUN6 in colorectal cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues. The correlation between the expression of these genes and patient prognosis was also examined. Results:Bioinformatic analysis revealed that NOP2 is highly expressed in tumors, whereas NOP2/Sun RNA Methyltransferase 6 (NSUN6) is linked to poor prognosis. Immune infiltration analysis demonstrated that NOP2 expression is significantly correlated with varying levels of immune cell infiltration, including a positive association with myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), M1 macrophages, and natural killer cells and a negative correlation with regulatory T cells and M2 macrophages. NSUN6 expression showed a significant positive correlation with MDSC infiltration. Clinical sample analysis indicated that NOP2 expression is strongly associated with tumor grade and nerve invasion, whereas NSUN6 is sig...