PANX2 and brain lower grade glioma genesis: A bioinformatic analysis

PANX2 forms large-pore channels mediating ATP release in response to physiological and pathological stimuli. Although PANX2 shows involvements in glioma genesis, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. PANX2 mRNA expression was analyzed via Oncomine and was confirmed via Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA). The influence of PANX2 on overall survival (OS) of glioma was evaluated using LinkedOmics and further assessed through Cox regression analysis. The correlated genes with PANX2 acquired from LinkedOmics were validated through GEPIA and cBioPortal. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) of these genes was then obtained using Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) and Cytoscape with MCODE plug-in. All the PANX2-related genes underwent Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. The correlation between PANX2 and cancer immune infiltrates was evaluated via Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER). A higher expression of PANX2 only revealed a better OS in brain low grade glioma (LGG). PANX2-related genes in LGG functionally enriched in neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, synaptic vesicle cycle, and calcium signaling. The hub genes from highest module of PPI were mainly linked to chemical synaptic transmission, plasma membrane, neuropeptide, and the pathway of neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction. Besides, PANX2 expression was negatively associated with infiltrating levels of macrophage, dendritic cells, and CD4+ T cells. This study demonstrated that PANX2 likely participated in LGG pathogenesis by affecting multiple molecular pathways and immune-related processes. PANX2 was associated with LGG prognosis and might become a promising therapeutic target of LGG.