Stc2, or stanniocalcin 2, is a glycoprotein. It plays roles in regulating calcium and phosphorus homeostasis, glucose homeostasis, and phosphorus metastasis [4]. It is also involved in processes like neuron cell differentiation, angiogenesis, wound healing, fertility, embryo development, and cancer [5].

Stc2 is highly expressed in a wide range of tumour cells and tissues from various organs such as breast, colorectum, stomach, etc. Its overexpression promotes cell proliferation, migration, immune response, and is positively correlated with tumour growth, invasion, metastasis, and patients' prognosis, making it a potential tumour biomarker and therapeutic target [1]. In esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, Stc2 promotes radioresistance by interacting with PRMT5, activating it, and affecting DNA damage repair and ferroptosis pathways [2]. In hepatocellular carcinoma, its knockdown inhibits cell proliferation and glycolysis through promoting autophagy by the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway [3]. Also, in gastric cancer, high expression of the Stc2 gene shows a significant relationship with the disease, and it may be used to determine tumour borders during surgery [5].

In conclusion, Stc2 is involved in multiple biological processes and is closely associated with various cancers. Studies, especially those related to its role in cancer, suggest that it could be a valuable biomarker and therapeutic target, providing insights into potential cancer treatment strategies.

References:

1. Qie, Shuo, Sang, Nianli. 2022. Stanniocalcin 2 (STC2): a universal tumour biomarker and a potential therapeutical target. In Journal of experimental & clinical cancer research : CR, 41, 161. doi:10.1186/s13046-022-02370-w. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35501821/

2. Jiang, Kan, Yin, Xin, Zhang, Qingyi, Yu, Hao, Yan, Senxiang. 2023. STC2 activates PRMT5 to induce radioresistance through DNA damage repair and ferroptosis pathways in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. In Redox biology, 60, 102626. doi:10.1016/j.redox.2023.102626. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36764215/

3. Li, Ding, Xiong, Yuanyuan, Li, Muzi, Yan, Huifeng, Xiang, Hua. 2024. STC2 knockdown inhibits cell proliferation and glycolysis in hepatocellular carcinoma through promoting autophagy by PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. In Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 761, 110149. doi:10.1016/j.abb.2024.110149. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39271096/

4. Jiang, Zhong-Hui, Shen, Xianfeng, Wei, Yanhong, Xia, Lingyun, Leng, Weidong. 2022. A Pan-Cancer Analysis Reveals the Prognostic and Immunotherapeutic Value of Stanniocalcin-2 (STC2). In Frontiers in genetics, 13, 927046. doi:10.3389/fgene.2022.927046. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35937984/

5. Qiu, Junqi, Chen, Xihan, Zheng, Zengpai. 2023. Evaluating STC2 gene RNA in peripheral blood serum of gastric cancer patients. In Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France), 69, 72-75. doi:10.14715/cmb/2023.69.12.12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38063115/