Unveiling TNFAIP8L2-related immune evasion mechanisms in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains to be a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Although immune evasion appears to play a critical role in CRC progression, the underlying mechanisms are poorly defined, necessitating further scientific investigation. Here we report a differential co-expression gene pattern involving TNFAIP8L2 (TIPE2), a newly described immune checkpoint gene, which may be employed by CRC to evade immune surveillance. Single-cell RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses of CRC revealed significant positive correlations between TNFAIP8L2 and the metastatic gene OLR1 as well as the immune checkpoint gene PDL1 , indicating potential functional synergistic interactions among these genes. Additionally, the TNFAIP8L2 differentially co-expressed genes (Dco-EGs) in macrophages were positively associated with the p53 signaling pathway, indicating an important mechanism in regulating tumor immunity in CRC. These findings provide new insights into the complex mechanism of immune evasion in CRC, laying the foundation for the development of innovative tumor immunotherapies.