Systematic Analysis of the Expression Profile and Prognostic Significance of the IGF2BP Family in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), the most common type of lung cancer associated with poor prognosis, has become a major health problem. IGF2BPs are types of N⁶-methyladenosine reader proteins, comprising IGF2BP1, IGF2BP2, and IGF2BP3, that promote LUAD progression. However, the expression profiles and prognostic value of IGF2BPs in LUAD remain unclear. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the expression profiles and prognostic significance of the IGF2BP family in lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: In this study, we included tissue data of LUAD patients and normal or para-carcinoma from the TCGA database and the GTEx project. Using survival analysis, Kaplan-Meier curves, and Cox proportional hazards model, we analyzed the expression profiles and prognostic significance of the IGF2BP family. Results: Patients with high expression levels of IGF2BPs showed a significant association with poor overall survival (p < 0.05). Moreover, the somatic mutation rates of IGF2BP1, IGF2BP2, and IGF2BP3 were determined as 2.65, 1.59, and 1.76%, respectively, by investigating the genetic mutation. In addition, there were significant associations between TMB and IGF2BP family expression profiles, which positively correlated with the expression of PD-1 (p < 0.05). Cox proportional hazard model for LUAD showed the risk score for IGF2BP1, p-TNM stage, and so forth, all independent prognostic indicators for LUAD patients. Finally, the co-expression genes were obtained to build a PPI network and analyze the hub genes of the IGF2BP family. Conclusion: Our study provides further insights into the role of the IGF2BP family in LUAD and identifies 10 genes that may be associated with IGF2BPs in LUAD patients.