TTF2 as a Potential Biomarker and Immunotherapy Target in Glioma Diagnosis and Prognosis

Background: Glioma is one of the common brain tumors in the central nervous system, with a poor prognosis and a serious threat to the life and health of patients. Exploring effective prognostic markers and conducting in-depth studies on related molecular mechanisms are of great significance for improving the prognosis of glioma patients. TTF2 (Transcription Termination Factor 2) has initially demonstrated its value as a potential prognostic factor in various cancers. However, its specific role in glioma remains unclear. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the expression preference, prognostic value and clinical characteristics of TTF2 from the Tumor Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) dataset. We constructed clinical prognostic models using independent prognostic risk factors and TTF2, and evaluated the accuracy of the models using calibration curves. The biological functions of TTF2 were explored by GO/KEGG/GSEA enrichment analysis. The relationship between TTF2 expression and immune infiltration was analyzed by ssGSEA (Single Sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis), and the expression of TTF2 mRNA in glioma samples was verified by tissue specimens. Result: TTF2 was highly expressed in glioma. Multivariate analysis showed that TTF2 mRNA expression was an independent prognostic factor for Overall survival rate (OS) (HR = 2.113, 95%CI:1.393-3.204). Effective prognostic models can be constructed by using WHO classification, IDH status, age and the expression level of TTF2. Enrichment analysis and GSEA analysis showed that the expression of TTF2 was related to the production of immunoglobulins, adaptive immune responses, immune regulation, and the transmission of immune cell signaling factors, etc. ssGSEA showed that the expression of TTF2 was positively correlated with the infiltration level of Th2 cells. Conclusion: TTF2 is expressed in glioma and is associated with OS. TTF2 is a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of glioma and may be a potential target for immunotherapy.