Matrilin-2 is a novel prognostic marker in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is the most malignant bone tumor in adolescents. Molecules that are significantly associated with prognosis of osteosarcoma remain to be elucidated. In this study, we aimed to explore the prognostic role of Matrilin-2 (MATN2) in osteosarcoma.

By in silico analysis, we used GSE42352, GSE33382, and GSE21257 to explore the differential expression in osteosarcoma patients with different tumor status. Tissue and serum levels of MATN2 in 56 osteosarcoma patients were verified by RT-PCR and ELISA kits, respectively. Small interfering RNA was used to interfere with the expression of MATN2 in U-2OS and MG-63. CCK-8 and transwell assay were used to detect cell proliferation and migration, respectively. Western blot was used to detect the expression of invasion-related proteins.

MATN2 was overexpressed both in osteosarcoma cells and tissues when compared to normal controls. Both tissue and serum level of MATN2 correlated with tumor Enneking stage and metastasis status in osteosarcoma patients according to GEO datasets and validation cohort. Further Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that MATN2 was a novel prognostic marker in patients with osteosarcoma. Knockdown of MATN2 by siRNA significantly reduced the proliferation and invasion of osteosarcoma cells in vivo. Furthermore, inhibition of MATN2 in U-2OS and MG-63 cells dramatically reduced the expression of mmp2, vimentin and snail1.

Elevated MATN2 in tissues and serum significantly associated with both tumor malignancy and poor outcome, which indicates MATN2 could be a prognostic biomarker in patients with osteosarcoma.