Transcriptomic Analyses Reveal B-Cell Translocation Gene 2 as a Potential Therapeutic Target in Ovarian Cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Ovarian cancer presents significant clinical challenges due to late detection and inherent aggressiveness.
• Transcriptomic analyses are crucial for identifying novel therapeutic targets in oncology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify tumor suppressor genes associated with poor prognosis in ovarian cancer.
• To investigate the therapeutic potential of the antiproliferative gene BTG2 in ovarian cancer.

Main Methods:

• Gene expression profiling of ovarian cancer and stem cell samples.
• In vitro assays assessing cell proliferation, cell cycle, and migration.
• In vivo xenograft models to evaluate tumor growth inhibition.
• Correlation analysis with clinical parameters (FIGO stage, grade).

Main Results:

• Identified 24 tumor suppressor genes associated with poor ovarian cancer prognosis.
• BTG2 expression suppressed ovarian cancer cell proliferation by inducing G1/S phase arrest via regulation of Cyclin D1, CDK4, p-AKT, and p-ERK.
• BTG2 inhibited cell migration by modulating matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression.
• BTG2 demonstrated in vivo tumor growth inhibition in xenograft models and correlated with advanced FIGO stage and grade.

Conclusions:

• BTG2 acts as a tumor suppressor in ovarian cancer, inhibiting proliferation and migration.
• BTG2 represents a promising therapeutic candidate and a potential prognostic biomarker for ovarian cancer.