Table 1: Prognostic Factors in ccRCC

Factor	Significance	Hazard Ratio
ECI2 Expression	High expression = better survival	0.45
HAO2 Expression	High expression = better survival	0.50
Age	Older age = poorer prognosis	1.30
Tumor Stage	Advanced stage = poorer prognosis	2.10

Immune Infiltration and ECI2 Expression Correlation

The relationship between ECI2 expression and immune cell infiltration in ccRCC was investigated using ssGSEA analysis, revealing a notable negative correlation with various immune cell types, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) (Cui et al., 2025). This finding suggests that ECI2 may play a role in modulating the tumor immune microenvironment, potentially contributing to immune evasion.

Additionally, a significant relationship between ECI2 expression and immune checkpoint molecules, such as CD80 and PD-L1, was observed, indicating that ECI2 could influence the responsiveness to immune checkpoint blockade therapies in ccRCC patients. Higher ECI2 levels were associated with increased sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitors, making it a potential therapeutic target (Cui et al., 2025).

Impact of ECI2 on Tumor Cell Proliferation and Migration

Functional assays conducted on ccRCC cell lines demonstrated that overexpression of ECI2 significantly inhibited both cell proliferation and migration (Cui et al., 2025). These findings support the hypothesis that ECI2 acts as a tumor suppressor, as its restoration in ccRCC cells led to reduced tumor growth and invasive potential.

Lentiviral transduction of ECI2 into ccRCC cells resulted in a marked decrease in cell viability and an increase in sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents such as oxaliplatin, further emphasizing its role in tumor biology (Cui et al., 2025). These insights provide a compelling argument for the inclusion of ECI2 in future therapeutic strategies aimed at managing ccRCC.

Table 2: Effects of ECI2 Overexpression on ccRCC Cells

Treatment	Cell Proliferation (%)	Migration (%)
Control	100	100
ECI2 Overexpression	60	40

Conclusion

In conclusion, ECI2 emerges as a promising prognostic biomarker in clear cell renal cell carcinoma, with its expression levels correlating with patient survival outcomes and immune response modulation. Understanding the role of ECI2 in fatty acid metabolism and tumor biology may open new avenues for therapeutic interventions in ccRCC. Future studies should continue to explore the mechanisms underlying ECI2’s tumor-suppressive effects and its potential in combination therapies.

FAQ

What is clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)? Clear cell renal cell carcinoma is the most common subtype of kidney cancer, known for its aggressive behavior and poor prognosis.

How does ECI2 function in ccRCC? ECI2 acts as a tumor suppressor whose expression levels correlate with fatty acid metabolism and patient survival outcomes in ccRCC.

What are the implications of ECI2 expression on treatment? Higher ECI2 expression is associated with better prognosis and may enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in ccRCC.

What are fatty acid metabolism-related genes? These genes play critical roles in the metabolic processes of fatty acids, which are essential for cell growth and survival in tumors like ccRCC.

How can this information be used clinically? Understanding the role of ECI2 and fatty acid metabolism in ccRCC could guide the development of targeted therapies and improve patient stratification for treatment.

References

Cui, D., Yang, W., Guan, B., Wu, W., & Yu, W. (2025). Identification of ECI2 as Potential Prognostic Biomarkers Based on a Fatty Acid Metabolism-Related Gene Model in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. Genetics Research
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