EIF2S3 is a Prognostic Biomarker Correlated With Immune Infiltration in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent cancers with a high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit gamma (EIF2S3) is a heterotrimeric GTP binding protein, taking part in the recruitment of methionyl-tRNA to the 40 S ribosomal subunit. However, the role of EIF2S3 in HCC remains unclear. Materials and methods: In the present study, the expression level of EIF2S3 in pan-cancer was identified using TIMER database and its level in HCC tissues was detected by TCGA database. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between EIF2S3 and clinical characteristics in HCC. Kaplan-Meier Plotter analysis was used to assess the prognostic role of EIF2S3 in HCC patients. Function enrichment analysis was conducted by LinkedOmics database. The association between EIF2S3 level and immune infiltration, and the correlation between EIF2S3 expression and immune cell biomarkers in HCC were analyzed by TIMER and GEPIA database. Finally, the protein expression of EIF2S3 in HCC cell lines was analyzed and the proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of HCC cells after silencing EIF2S3, which were detected by cell viability assay, wound healing assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. Results: EIF2S3 was overexpressed in many solid tumors. And, high EIF2S3 expression was detected in HCC and significantly related to tumor status and prognosis of HCC patients. Moreover, EIF2S3 expression was positively related to immune cell infiltration and gene marker of immune cells in HCC patients. Cell experiments showed thatEIF2S3 was overexpressed in HCC cells and EIF2S3 enhanced the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells and decreased the apoptosis of HCC cells. Conclusion: EIF2S3 may be involved in the development of HCC and could be a prognostic genomic marker and a novel therapeutic target for HCC.