Type 2 Deiodinase in Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts: A Potential Therapeutic Target in Many Types of Cancer

The study investigated the expression of Type 2 Deiodinase (DIO2) enzyme in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF), which are important regulators of the tumor microenvironment. Using single-cell analysis and RNA sequencing, researchers found that DIO2 is highly specific to CAF and is almost completely absent in tumor cells and other cell types. DIO2 expression was consistently detected in CAF across multiple cancer types including pancreatic and bladder cancer. Elevated DIO2 expression was associated with worse prognosis in pancreatic and bladder cancers. In an experimental mouse model, reduction or elimination of Dio2 led to significantly reduced tumor growth. The results suggest that DIO2 could be a potential therapeutic target for targeting the tumor microenvironment.