Abstract
BACKGROUND: Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2), a member of the histone deacetylase family, plays a critical role in various types of tumors. However, its role in the progression of gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the function and clinical relevance of SIRT2 in GC progression. METHODS: We collected 71 GC tissues, and 35 cases were paired with adjacent normal tissue from the same patient at our hospital. SIRT2 expression levels were evaluated using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and bioinformatics analysis. Correlation between SIRT2 expression and various clinicopathological features and immune cell infiltration were also analyzed. RESULTS: IHC analysis revealed significantly elevated SIRT2 expression in GC tissues compared with that in adjacent normal tissues (P < 0.001), with expression levels significantly correlated with pathological T (pT) stage (P < 0.05). Bioinformatics data further confirmed increased SIRT2 expression in GC tissues (P < 0.05). Moreover, patients with high expression of SIRT2 had a poor prognosis (P < 0.05). SIRT2 expression was also positively associated with the infiltration of various immune cells, including CD4(+)T cells, CD8(+)T cells, regulatory T cells (Tregs), M2 macrophages, B cells, and neutrophils. CONCLUSION: SIRT2 is upregulated in GC tissues and is associated with poor prognosis. It may serve as a promising biomarker for predicting GC progression and evaluating patient outcomes.