# TEDC2

## Overview
TEDC2 (tubulin epsilon and delta complex 2) is a gene that encodes a protein involved in the assembly and function of microtubules, which are essential components of the cytoskeleton. The protein encoded by TEDC2 plays a critical role in maintaining centriole stability, a key factor in proper cell division and cellular structure maintenance (Liu2024A). It is active in the cytoplasm, where it influences the stability and dynamics of microtubule networks, impacting cellular processes such as mitosis and organization. Additionally, TEDC2 is implicated in ciliary hedgehog signaling, a pathway important for cell communication and development (Liu2024A). The gene's expression is notably significant in various cancers, where its altered expression levels are associated with clinical outcomes, making it a potential target for therapeutic interventions (Fang2023TEDC2).

## Function
TEDC2 (tubulin epsilon and delta complex 2) is a protein-coding gene that plays a crucial role in maintaining centriole stability, which is essential for proper cell division and the maintenance of cellular structure (Liu2024A). The protein is involved in the assembly and function of microtubules, which are vital components of the cytoskeleton. Microtubules are responsible for maintaining cell shape, enabling intracellular transport, and facilitating cell division. TEDC2 is active in the cytoplasm, where it contributes to the stability and dynamics of microtubule networks, impacting processes such as mitosis and cellular organization.

In addition to its role in centriole stability, TEDC2 is involved in ciliary hedgehog signaling, a pathway important for cell communication and development (Liu2024A). This signaling pathway is crucial for various developmental processes and cellular functions. While the specific functions of TEDC2 in healthy cells beyond centriole stability and ciliary signaling are not extensively detailed, its fundamental role in these processes underscores its importance in maintaining cellular integrity and function. The gene's expression and activity are critical for the proper execution of cell cycle processes and the overall maintenance of cellular architecture.

## Clinical Significance
The TEDC2 gene has been implicated in various human tumors, with alterations in its expression levels associated with significant clinical outcomes. High expression of TEDC2 is linked to poor prognosis in several cancers, including kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), and liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) (Liu2024A). In LUAD, TEDC2 is upregulated and serves as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis, correlating with inferior overall survival, disease-specific survival, and progression-free survival (Fang2023TEDC2). The gene's expression is also associated with an immunosuppressive microenvironment, negatively correlating with immune cell infiltration, such as dendritic cells and B cells, and positively correlating with immune checkpoint genes like PDCD1, LAG3, and CD276 (Fang2023TEDC2).

Genetic alterations of TEDC2, including missense and truncating mutations, have been observed in various tumors, though these mutations do not significantly impact overall survival (Liu2024A). Despite the infrequency of mutations, the expression level of TEDC2 holds prognostic value, particularly in cancers like ACC, KIRC, LUAD, and LIHC, where high expression is linked to shorter overall survival (Liu2024A). These findings suggest TEDC2 as a potential target for therapeutic interventions in cancer treatment.


## References


[1. (Fang2023TEDC2) Likui Fang, Wenfeng Yu, Pengfei Zhu, Guocan Yu, and Bo Ye. Tedc2 correlated with prognosis and immune microenvironment in lung adenocarcinoma. Scientific Reports, March 2023. URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-32238-8, doi:10.1038/s41598-023-32238-8. This article has 2 citations and is from a peer-reviewed journal.](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-32238-8)

[2. (Liu2024A) Yang Liu, Jie Zhu, Jing Shen, Yuting Lu, Ke Pan, Chuan Tong, and Yao Wang. A pan-cancer analysis of the prognostic implication and oncogenic role of tubulin epsilon and delta complex 2 (tedc2) in human tumors. Frontiers in Immunology, January 2024. URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1272108, doi:10.3389/fimmu.2023.1272108. This article has 0 citations and is from a peer-reviewed journal.](https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1272108)