Unveiling the Role of SLC27A2 in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia: Insights into Immune Evasion and Prognosis

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Solute carrier family 27 member 2 (SLC27A2) is involved in fatty acid metabolism in tumours and represents a prospective target for cancer therapy. However, the role and mechanism of action of SLC27A2 in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) remains unclear. Here, we aimed to explore the intrinsic associations between SLC27A2 and ALL and evaluate the prognostic significance, biological functions, and correlation with immune infiltration. Methods We used the transcriptome and clinical data from the TARGET dataset. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the SLC27A2 low- and high-expression groups were analysed for prognostic implications and functional enrichment. Furthermore, we analysed the relationship between SLC27A2 gene expression and immune cell infiltration using the ESTIMATE method, which was evaluated using the TIGER platform. Finally, we knocked down SLC27A2 in the Jurkat ALL cell line and conducted cell proliferation, western blotting, flow cytometry, and CCK-8 assays to elucidate the biological function of SLC27A2 in ALL. Results Patients with ALL who have higher expression levels of SLC27A2 have poorer overall survival and event-free survival. According to the gene set enrichment analysis, DEGs were primarily enriched with immune system processes and the PI3K-Akt signalling pathway. There was an inverse relationship between SLC27A2 expression and immune cell invasion, suggesting its involvement in tumour immune evasion. In vitro experiments showed that knockdown of SLC27A2 inhibited cell proliferation and protein expression and altered the Akt pathway, with a reduced proportion of B cells. Conclusion SLC27A2 plays a vital role in the development of ALL.