Comprehensive pan-cancer analysis reveals EPHB2 is a novel predictive biomarker for prognosis and immunotherapy response

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Ezra

Comprehensive bioinformatics and experimental analyses evaluate Ephrin receptor B2 (EPHB2) as a prognostic and immunotherapy-response biomarker across cancers. The study integrates bulk and single-cell transcriptomics, spatial transcriptomics, and multi-fluorescence validation to characterize immune infiltration, genome instability, and immune associations, with special focus on M2 macrophages. In lung adenocarcinoma cells, EPBHB2 knockdown reduces proliferation and migration, supporting predicted effects on tumor progression and anti-cancer immunity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Keywords

Introduction

Xu etal. BMC Cancer (2024) 24:1064 BMC Cancer [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-024-12843-0](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-024-12843-0) RESEARCH Open Access Comprehensive pan-cancer analysis reveals EPHB2 is a novel predictive biomarker for prognosis and immunotherapy response Shengshan Xu 1*, Youbin Zheng2, Min Ye 1, Tao Shen 1, Dongxi Zhang 1, Zumei Li 1 and Zhuming Lu 1* Abstract Purpose Recent studies have increasingly linked Ephrin receptor B2 (EPHB2) to cancer progression. However, comprehensive investigations into the immunological roles and prognostic significance of EPHB2 across various cancers remain lacking. Methods We employed various databases and bioinformatics tools to investigate the impact of EPHB2 on prognosis, immune infiltration, genome instability, and response to immunotherapy. Validation of the correlation between EPHB2 expression and M2 macrophages included analyses using bulk and single-cell transcriptomic datasets, spatial transcriptomics, and multi-fluorescence staining. Moreover, we performed cMap web tool to screen for EPHB2-targeted compounds and assessed their potential through molecular docking and dynamics simulations. Additionally, in vitro validation using lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cell lines was conducted to confirm the bioinformatics predictions about EPHB2 . Results EPHB2 dysregulation was observed across multiple cancer types, where it demonstrated significant diagnostic and prognostic value. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) indicated that EPHB2 is involved in enhancing cellular proliferation, invasiveness of cancer cells, and modulation of the anti-cancer immune response. Furthermore, it is emerged as a pan-cancer marker for M2 macrophage infiltration, supported by integrated analyses of transcriptomics and multiple fluorescence staining. In LUAD cells, knockdown of EPHB2 expression led to a decrease in both cell proliferation and migratory activity. Conclusion EPHB2 expression may serve as a pivotal indicator of M2 macrophage infiltration, offering vital insights into tumor dynamics and progression across various cancers, including lung adenocarcinoma, highlighting its significant prognostic and therapeutic potential for further exploration. Keywords Pan-cancer analysis, M2 macrophage, Biomarker, Prognosis, Immunotherapy *Correspondence: Shengshan Xu [xushengshan@jmszxyy.com.cn](xushengshan@jmszxyy.com.cn)[ ](xushengshan@jmszxyy.com.cn)Zhuming Lu [lzm219@jnu.edu.cn](lzm219@jnu.edu.cn) 1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Jiangmen Central Hospital, Jiangmen, Guangdong, China 2Department of Radiology, Jiangmen Wuyi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangmen, Guangdong, China © The Author(s) 2024. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit [http://](http://)[ ](http://)[creativecommons.org/l](creativecommons.org/l)icenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/. Xu et al. BMC Cancer (2024) 24:1064 Introduction Cancer significantly impacts global mortality and public health. According to data from the Global Cancer Research Center for the year 2020, there were ap

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the study about EPHB2?

To determine the prognostic significance and immunological roles of EPHB2 across multiple cancer types, focusing on its predictive value for immunotherapy response.

How was the relationship between EPHB2 and M2 macrophages validated?

By analyzing bulk and single-cell transcriptomic datasets, using spatial transcriptomics, and confirming with integrated multi-fluorescence staining approaches.

What key findings support EPHB2 as a pan-cancer biomarker?

EPHB2 dysregulation shows diagnostic and prognostic value across cancers, and enrichment analyses indicate involvement in proliferation, invasiveness, and modulation of anti-cancer immune response, especially linked to M2 macrophage infiltration.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Ezra