CSF2RA promotes gastric cancer progression through activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway

Abstract

Pseudoautosomal regions (PARs), located at the ends of sex chromosomes, harbor genes that may play a role in tumor pathology by regulating cell proliferation and the immune microenvironment. Gastric cancer (GC) is a prevalent and molecularly heterogeneous malignancy of the digestive system. However, studies on the role of PARs-related genes in GC are limited. This study focuses on the PARs gene CSF2RA and its regulatory role in GC progression through the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Differentially expressed PARs-related genes associated with GC were identified using multi-omics datasets(including TCGA-STAD and four GEO cohorts). Functional enrichment, immune infiltration, and drug sensitivity analyses, combined with in vitro (using MKN45 and AGS cell lines) and in vivo experiments, were conducted to validate the role of CSF2RA in GC. Additionally, RT-qPCR, Western blot, immunofluorescence, and co-immunoprecipitation assays were performed to investigate the interaction between CSF2RA and JAK2 and their activation of downstream signaling pathways. CSF2RA was found to be highly expressed in GC and associated with poor prognosis. It was significantly enriched in the JAK/STAT signaling pathway and closely related to immune cell infiltration. Furthermore, CSF2RA promoted GC cell proliferation and metastasis by activating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. The JAK inhibitor Ruxolitinib effectively reversed the tumor-promoting effects of CSF2RA and demonstrated significant inhibitory effects in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. This study is the first to reveal the tumor-promoting mechanism of CSF2RA in GC, demonstrating its role in facilitating tumor progression via the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. The potential therapeutic value of Ruxolitinib was validated in both cell-based and xenograft tumor models. Future research should further explore the upstream regulatory mechanisms of CSF2RA and its dynamic role in the immune microenvironment to advance precision treatment strategies for GC.