CKS2 May Be Prognostic Biomarker in HCC

Cyclin-dependent kinase regulatory subunit 2 (CKS2) may represent a prognostic biomarker of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through its ability to promote disease progression via its impact on the immune microenvironment, according to findings published in the Journal of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Investigators reviewed multiple databases to examine transcriptional data for CKS2, epigenetic changes, and its effects on HCC prognosis. The review found that CKS2 is highly expressed in HCC, with irregular methylation levels of the two CKS2 methylation sites in HCC contributing to its high expression. This correlated significantly with survival. CKS2 expression positively correlated with most immunomodulators, as well as levels of infiltration for B and CD8+ T cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages. The study team also observed a significant correlation between CKS2 expression and immunity cycle steps and diverse immune markers in HCC. Researchers confirmed high expression of CKS2 expression in HCC at both mRNA and protein levels, which indicated a significant increase compared with normal tissue, according to the study results.