Loss of GINS2 inhibits cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in human gliomas.

AIMS: In this study, we examined the expression of GINS2 in glioma and determined its role in glioma development.

METHODS: The protein expression of GINS2 was assessed in 120 human glioma samples via immunohistochemistry. Then, we suppressed the expression of GINS2 in glioma cell strains U87 and U251 using a short hairpin RNA lentiviral vector. In addition, RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were performed on glioma cells before and after GINS2 knockdown. Subsequent co-immunoprecipitation and western blot experiments indicated possible downstream regulatory molecules.

RESULTS: The present results showed that GINS2 can accelerate the growth of glioma cells, whereas the suppression of GINS2 expression decreased the proliferation and tumorigenicity of glioma cells. Mechanism research experiments proved that GINS2 can block the cell cycle by regulating certain downstream molecules, such as MCM2, ATM, and CHEK2.

CONCLUSION: GINS2 is closely related to the occurrence and development of glioma, and is likely to become a prognostic marker for glioma patients, as well as a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of glioma.