Genetic variants of <i>IGF2BP2</i> as potential predictors for perineural invasion of prostate cancer in a Taiwanese population

Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2), which binds with high affinity to numerous RNA transcripts, is known to promote tumorigenesis and metastasis, including in prostate cancer (PCa). Several case-control studies investigated associations between <i>IGF2BP2</i> polymorphisms and cancer progression. However, the effects of <i>IGF2BP2</i> genetic variants on clinicopathological progression and biochemical recurrence (BCR) of PCa remain unclear. In this study, we recruited 698 Taiwanese PCa patients who underwent a radical prostatectomy to investigate associations of <i>IGF2BP2</i> single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the risk of BCR and clinicopathological progression. Using a TaqMan allelic discrimination assay, we genotyped three <i>IGF2BP2</i> SNPs located in the second intron: rs11705701 (G/A), rs4402960 (G/T), and rs1470579 (A/C). Our findings revealed that these <i>IGF2BP2</i> SNPs had no significant effect on initial prostate-specific antigen (iPSA) levels or postoperative BCR. However, patients with the rs1470579 A/C genotype exhibited a higher risk of developing perineural invasion (PNI) compared to those with the homozygous A/A genotype. This association was particularly pronounced in patients with an elevated iPSA level (>10 ng/mL). Clinical observations from The Cancer Genome Atlas database showed that elevated IGF2BP2 levels in PCa tissues were significantly associated with higher Gleason scores and exhibited a trend toward correlating with tumor metastasis. In conclusion, our findings highlight that the <i>IGF2BP2</i> rs1470579 A>C polymorphism may increase susceptibility for PNI among PCa patients in the Taiwanese population.