TRAF2 Expression and Its Prognostic Significance in Tumor Microenvironments: A Comprehensive Analysis

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor associated factor-2 (TRAF2) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase and scaffolding protein known to contribute to the progression of various malignant tumors. However, the relationship between TRAF2 expression and gene methylation, cancer prognosis, and immune responses in the tumor microenvironment is unclear. We found that TRAF2 is significantly overexpressed in 17 different cancer types and is strongly associated with a poor prognosis. In addition, TRAF2 was found to be strongly associated with immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment and the efficacy of immunotherapy, specifically in terms of a strong association with T cells. The results of our in vitro experimental studies confirmed that the loss of TRAF2 function inhibits the malignant biological behavior of HepG2 cells in hepatocellular carcinoma. This study emphasizes the potential of TRAF2 as a promising prognostic biomarker and a potential target for cancer immunotherapy, especially benefiting patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.