SGSM2 in Uveal Melanoma: Implications for Survival, Immune Infiltration, and Drug Sensitivity.

BACKGROUNDThe abnormal expression of small G protein signaling modulator 2 (SGSM2) is related to the occurrence of thyroid cancer and breast cancer. However, the role of SGSM2 in uveal melanoma (UVM) is unclear.

OBJECTSTo elucidate this ambiguity, our study utilized bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation.

METHODSThe expression of SGSM2 was detected in UVM cell lines through quantitative real-- time PCR (qRT-PCR). We utilized the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to assess the relationship between SGSM2 expression and clinical characteristics, as well as its prognostic significance in UVM. Furthermore, the study examined potential regulatory networks involving SGSM2 in relation to immune infiltration, immune checkpoint genes, microsatellite instability (MSI), and drug sensitivity in UVM. The study also examined SGSM2 expression in UVM single-cell sequencing data.

RESULTSSGSM2 was highly expressed in UVM cell lines. Moreover, elevated levels of SGSM2 in UVM patients were significantly linked to poorer overall survival (OS) (p < 0.001), progress- free survival (PFS) (p < 0.001), and disease-specific survival (DSS) (p < 0.001). Additionally, SGSM2 expression was identified as an independent prognostic factor in UVM patients (p < 0.001). SGSM2 was associated with several pathways, including the calcium signaling pathway, natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity, cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), and others. The study revealed that SGSM2 expression in UVM is linked to immune infiltration, immune checkpoint genes, and MSI. Additionally, a significant inverse correlation was observed between SGSM2 expression and the compounds GSK690693, TL-2-105, PHA-793887, Tubastatin A, and SB52334 in UVM patients.

CONCLUSIONSGSM2 may not only serve as an important indicator for prognostic assessment. Still, it may also be a key target for the development of new therapeutic approaches, providing new perspectives on the treatment of UVM patients.