Novel role of MKRN2 in regulating tumor growth through host microenvironment and macrophage M1 to M2 switch

Abstract

The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a pivotal role in cancer progression, though the molecular regulators governing its immunosuppressive properties remain incompletely characterized. In this study, we identify Makorin-2 (MKRN2) as a novel modulator of TME remodeling through integrated analyses of genetically engineered mouse models and human clinical data. Utilizing MKRN2 knockout mice, we observed significantly accelerated tumor growth compared to wild-type control, which was associated with profound alterations in immune cell composition, especially M2 macrophages. Specifically, MKRN2 deficiency promoted a phenotypic switch in tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) from anti-tumor M1 to pro-tumorigenic M2 polarization, with quantitative analysis revealing a 3-fold increase in the M2:M1 ratio. Clinical correlation studies demonstrated that MKRN2 expression was frequently downregulated across multiple human malignancies, with low MKRN2 levels strongly correlating with advanced disease stage and reduced patient survival. Mechanistic investigations revealed a dual regulatory mechanism of MKRN2 downregulation: epigenetic silencing through promoter CpG methylation and post-transcriptional suppression by oncogenic miR-582-5p. At the molecular level, MKRN2 functioned as an E3 ubiquitin ligase that directly targeted NF-κB p65 for proteasomal degradation, thereby constraining NF-κB/COX2-mediated inflammatory signaling. Reconstitution experiments demonstrated that MKRN2 overexpression significantly inhibited tumor cell proliferation, migration/invasion and tumor growth. Our findings establish MKRN2 as a critical regulator of immunosuppressive TME formation through coordinated control of macrophage polarization and NF-κB/COX2 signaling, suggesting its potential as both a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy.