Fc fragment of IgG binding protein is correlated with immune infiltration levels in hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

The Fc fragment of IgG binding protein (FCGBP) has been confirmed to play an important role in various cancers. However, the specific role of FCGBP in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains undefined. Thus, in this study, the enrichment analyses (Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis) of FCGBP in HCC and extensive bioinformatic analyses using data of clinicopathologic characteristics, genetic expression and alterations, and immune cell infiltration were perfomed. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the expression of FCGBP in both HCC tissues and cell lines. The subsequent results confirmed thatFCGBP overexpression positively correlated with poor prognosis in patients with HCC. Additionally, FCGBP expression could effectively distinguish tumor tissues from normal tissues, which was verified by qRT-PCR. The result was further confirmed by using HCC cell lines. The time-dependent survival receiver operator characteristic curve exhibited the strong ability of FCGBP to predict survival in patients with HCC. Additionally, we revealed the strong relationship between FCGBP expression and a number of classic regulatory targets and classical oncogenic signaling pathways of tumors. Finally, FCGBP was involved in the regulation of immune infiltration in HCC. Therefore, FCGBP has potential value in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of HCC and may be a potential biomarker or therapeutic target.

Predictive value of FCGBP expression for treatment response and survival in rectal cancer patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy

“…Extensive research has extensively documented the varied levels of FCGBP expression across diverse tumor types [14][15][16][17][18][19]. The observed disparities in FCGBP expression levels among different malignancies may signify distinct underlying functions and mechanisms.…”

“…Furthermore, mucins might serve as key players in aiding tumors to evade immune responses by creating an impenetrable barrier for immune effector cells or by inactivating immune effector cells through receptorligand interactions. This potential anti-immune response may indicate observed immune cell infiltrations in various malignancies, including glioma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and ovarian cancer [17][18][19]. Conversely, mucins may also exert a tumor-suppressive role [30].…”

“…Due to its pivotal roles in adhesion and immunologic functions, numerous studies have explored the evolving significance of FCGBP in the development of human malignancies. While diminished expression levels of FCGBP have been noted in gallbladder and prostate cancers [14,15], contrasting observations reveal elevated FCGBP expression in glioma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and ovarian cancer [16][17][18]. The prognostic implications of FCGBP expression have been established in these malignancies, shedding light on its potential as a predictive biomarker.…”