Circulating PANX1, P2RY2, and TLR3 Profiles in Gastric Cancer: A Preliminary Molecular Study

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Gastroenterology
• Oncology

Background:

• Gastric cancer is linked to chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation.
• Purinergic and innate immune pathways involving Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), P2Y purinoceptor 2 (P2RY2), and pannexin-1 (PANX1) may influence gastric cancer.
• The clinical relevance of these molecules in gastric cancer requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical significance of TLR3, P2RY2, and PANX1 in gastric cancer.
• To assess their diagnostic potential and prognostic value.
• To explore their association with immune infiltration in gastric cancer.

Main Methods:

• Gene expression analysis using RT-PCR and protein quantification via ELISA in 45 gastric cancer patients and 45 controls.
• Logistic regression and ROC analyses for diagnostic performance evaluation.
• Bioinformatic analysis (TIMER, Kaplan-Meier) for immune infiltration and prognostic significance.

Main Results:

• PANX1 protein was significantly elevated in gastric cancer patients and associated with disease status.
• No significant circulating alterations were found for TLR3 and P2RY2.
• High TLR3 and PANX1 expression correlated with improved overall survival, while P2RY2 showed negative immune cell infiltration correlations.
• Limited diagnostic accuracy was observed for individual markers.

Conclusions:

• Elevated circulating PANX1 is a potential biomarker for gastric cancer.
• TLR3 and P2RY2 findings were not statistically significant and require further validation.
• Bioinformatic analyses suggest roles in immune signaling, necessitating larger prospective studies.