The function and effect on prognosis of ANXA2 in gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis patients in cold region

Abstract Objective Heilongjiang Province is part of the northern cold areas of China, where gastric cancer is one of the most common gastrointestinal malignancies. Peritoneal metastases (PM) are the leading cause of mortality among patients. This study conducted bioinformatics and basic research on the gene ANXA2 (Annexin A2), which may influence the prognosis of patients. Methods Genome sequencing was performed on patients from Heilongjiang to identify potential genes impacting survival time. The function of ANXA2 in gastric cancer was analyzed using multiple bioinformatics databases, focusing on its pathways and mechanisms. ANXA2-knockout gastric cancer cell lines were constructed, and in vitro assays, including CCK-8, flow cytometry, scratch, and Transwell experiments, were conducted. A nude mouse tumorigenesis model was also developed to analyze in vivo effects. Results ANXA2 was found to be expressed at higher levels in gastric cancer tissue than in normal gastric tissue, and its mRNA levels were associated with short overall survival (OS). Enrichment analysis indicated that ANXA2 is primarily localized on the cell membrane and primarily influences the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Cytological experiments demonstrated that knockdown of ANXA2 suppresses the growth and migration of gastric carcinoma cells, an effect that was also observed in vivo . Conclusions ANXA2 is essential for gastric cancer growth and may represent a potential risk factor affecting the survival probability of patients in cold regions.