Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a complex and heterogeneous disease with four consensus molecular subtypes (CMS1-4). LTBP2 is a member of the
fibrillin/LTBP super family and plays a critical role in
tumorigenesis by activating TGF-β in the CMS4 CRC subtype. So far, the expression and prognostic significance of LTBP2 in CRC remains obscure. In this study, we aimed to analyze the
mRNA and
protein expression levels of LTBP2 in CRC tissues and then estimate their values as a potential prognostic
biomarker. We detected the
mRNA expression of LTBP2 in 28 cases of fresh CRC tissues and 4 CRC cell lines and the
protein expression of LTBP2 in 483 samples of CRC tissues, matched
tumor-adjacent tissues, and benign colorectal diseases. LTBP2
protein expression was then correlated to patients' clinical features and overall survival. Both LTBP2
mRNA and
protein expression levels in CRC tissues were remarkably superior to those in adjacent normal colorectal tissues (P = 0.0071 and P < 0.001, respectively), according to TCGA dataset of CRC. High LTBP2
protein expression was correlated with TNM stage (P < 0.001), T stage (P < 0.001), N stage (P < 0.001), and M stage (P < 0.001). High LTBP2
protein expression was related to poor overall survival in CRC patients and was an independent prognostic factor for CRC. LTBP2
mRNA expression was especially higher in the CMS4 subtype (P < 0.001), which was confirmed in CRC cell lines. Our data suggested that LTBP2 may act as an oncogene in the development of
colorectal cancer and have important significance in predicting CRC prognosis. LTBP2 could be a novel
biomarker and potential therapeutic target for mesenchymal
colorectal cancer and can improve the outcome of high-risk CRC.