CDK2AP2 is a component of the NuRD histone deacetylase complex that regulates chr11 remodeling 1. Its primary function is to inhibit G1/S phase transition by repressing CDK2 expression and preventing its interaction with cyclins E and A, thereby suppressing cell proliferation. CDK2AP2 plays critical roles in embryonic stem cell self-renewal and survival during differentiation, and regulates microtubule organization in metaphase II oocytes. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), cigarette smoke-induced downregulation of CDK2AP2 through HIF-1α/METTL3-mediated m6A modification of its mRNA promotes G1/S transition and tumor progression 2. Conversely, a circular RNA (hsa_circ_0036683) suppresses NSCLC proliferation and migration by functioning as a miR-4664-3p sponge that stabilizes CDK2AP2 expression, leading to G0/G1 phase arrest and upregulation of p53/p21/p27 3. SOX2OT knockdown alters CDK2AP2 expression as part of broader mitotic regulatory gene network changes in cancer cells 4. These findings establish CDK2AP2 as a tumor suppressor whose loss facilitates malignant progression, making it a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC intervention.