1
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Zhang ZH, Du Y, Wei S, Pei W. Multilayered insights: a machine learning approach for personalized prognostic assessment in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Oncol 2024; 13:1327147. [PMID: 38486931 PMCID: PMC10937467 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1327147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex malignancy, and precise prognosis assessment is vital for personalized treatment decisions. Objective This study aimed to develop a multi-level prognostic risk model for HCC, offering individualized prognosis assessment and treatment guidance. Methods By utilizing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, we performed differential gene expression analysis to identify genes associated with survival in HCC patients. The HCC Differential Gene Prognostic Model (HCC-DGPM) was developed through multivariate Cox regression. Clinical indicators were incorporated into the HCC-DGPM using Cox regression, leading to the creation of the HCC Multilevel Prognostic Model (HCC-MLPM). Immune function was evaluated using single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA), and immune cell infiltration was assessed. Patient responsiveness to immunotherapy was evaluated using the Immunophenoscore (IPS). Clinical drug responsiveness was investigated using drug-related information from the TCGA database. Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and trend association tests were conducted. Results Seven differentially expressed genes from the TCGA database were used to construct the HCC-DGPM. Additionally, four clinical indicators associated with survival were identified from the SEER database for model adjustment. The adjusted HCC-MLPM showed significantly improved discriminative capacity (AUC=0.819 vs. 0.724). External validation involving 153 HCC patients from the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database verified the performance of the HCC-MLPM (AUC=0.776). Significantly, the HCC-MLPM exhibited predictive capacity for patient response to immunotherapy and clinical drug efficacy (P < 0.05). Conclusion This study offers comprehensive insights into HCC prognosis and develops predictive models to enhance patient outcomes. The evaluation of immune function, immune cell infiltration, and clinical drug responsiveness enhances our comprehension and management of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yunxiang Du
- Department of Oncology, Huai’an 82 Hospital, China RongTong Medical Healthcare Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu, China
| | - Shuzhen Wei
- Department of Oncology, Huai’an 82 Hospital, China RongTong Medical Healthcare Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu, China
| | - Weidong Pei
- Department of Discipline Development, China RongTong Medical Healthcare Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu, China
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2
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Zhang M, Zhang S, Guo W, He Y. Novel molecular hepatocellular carcinoma subtypes and RiskScore utilizing apoptosis-related genes. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3913. [PMID: 38365931 PMCID: PMC10873508 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54673-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of global cancer-related deaths. Despite immunotherapy offering hope for patients with HCC, only some respond to it. However, it remains unclear how to pre-screen eligible patients. Our study aimed to address this issue. In this study, we identified 13 prognostic genes through univariate Cox regression analysis of 87 apoptosis-related genes. Subsequently, these 13 genes were analyzed using ConsensusClusterPlus, and patients were categorized into three molecular types: C1, C2, and C3. A prognostic model and RiskScore were constructed using Lasso regression analysis of 132 significant genes identified between C1 and C3. We utilized quantitative polymerase chain reaction to confirm the model's transcript level in Huh7 and THLE2 cell lines. Both molecular subtypes and RiskScores effectively predicted patients benefiting from immunotherapy. Cox regression analysis revealed RiskScore as the most significant prognosis factor, suggesting its clinical application potential and providing a foundation for future experimental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menggang Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shuijun Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wenzhi Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, China.
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Yuting He
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, China.
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China.
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3
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Deng J, Lai G, Zhang C, Li K, Zhu W, Xie B, Zhong X. A robust primary liver cancer subtype related to prognosis and drug response based on a multiple combined classifying strategy. Heliyon 2024; 10:e25570. [PMID: 38352751 PMCID: PMC10861988 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The recurrence or resistance to treatment of primary liver cancer (PLL) is significantly related to the heterogeneity present within the tumor. In this study, we integrated prognosis risk score, mRNAsi index, and immune characteristics clustering to classify patients. The four subtypes obtained from the combined classification are associated with PLC's prognosis and drug response. In these subtypes, we observed mRNAsiH_ICCA subtype, the intersection between high mRNAsi and immune characteristics clustering A, had the worst prognosis. Specifically, immune characteristics clustering B (ICC_B) had high drug sensitivity in most drugs regardless of the value of mRNAsi. On the other hand, patients with low mRNAsi responded better to ten drugs including KU-55933 and NU7441, while patients with high mRNAsi might benefit from drugs like Leflunomide. By matching the specific characteristics of each combined subtype with the drug-induced cell line expression profile, we identified a group of potential therapeutic drugs that might regulate the expression of disease signature genes. We developed a feasible multiple combined typing strategy, hoping to guide therapeutic selection and promote the development of precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jielian Deng
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Medical Department, Yidu Cloud (Beijing) Technology Co., Beijing, China
| | - Guichuan Lai
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Cong Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kangjie Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenyan Zhu
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, Chongqing, China
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Medical Department, Yidu Cloud (Beijing) Technology Co., Beijing, China
| | - Biao Xie
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoni Zhong
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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4
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Lu Y, Cheng D, Pang J, Peng Y, Jin S, Zhang X, Li Y, Zuo Y. Chronic stress promotes gastric cancer progression via the adrenoceptor beta 2/PlexinA1 pathway. Cell Stress Chaperones 2024; 29:201-215. [PMID: 38331165 PMCID: PMC10939071 DOI: 10.1016/j.cstres.2024.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress is a common emotional disorder in cancer patients. Chronic stress promotes progression of gastric cancer (GC) and leads to poor outcomes. However, the underlying mechanisms remain not clear. Herein, we explored the possible mechanisms of chronic stress in GC progression. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets were analyzed for differentially expressed genes. Clinical data of GC were evaluated for their association with PlexinA1 using TCGA and Kaplan-Meier-plotter databases. Chronic stress of GC patients was evaluated using the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Self-Rating Depression Scale. Chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) was used to induce chronic stress in mice. Gastric xenograft tumor was constructed using the sewing method. Chronic stress-like behaviors were assessed using light/dark box and tail suspension tests. Protein expression was detected using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. Analyses of TCGA and the Kaplan-Meier-plotter databases showed that patients with high levels of PlexinA1 in GC had worse overall survival than those with low levels of PlexinA1. A total of 36 GC patients were enrolled in the study, and about 33% of the patients had chronic stress. Compared with patients without chronic stress, higher expression levels of adrenoceptor beta 2 and PlexinA1 were observed in patients with chronic stress. The tumor size in mice under CUMS was significantly increased compared with the control mice. Adrenoceptor beta 2, PlexinA1, N-cadherin, and alpha-smooth muscle actin, as well as Ki67 were highly expressed in the tumors of CUMS group. However, E-cadherin was lowly expressed in the tumors of CUMS group. Importantly, chemical sympathectomy with 6-hydroxydopamine or treatment with a selective β2 adrenergic receptor antagonist (ICI118,551) could reverse these effects. Our findings suggest that chronic stress plays an important role in GC progression and there is a potential for blocking the epinephrine-β2AR/PlexinA1 pathway in the treatment of GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Lu
- Department of Pathology, Chengde Medical College, Chengde, Hebei Province, China; Cancer Research Laboratory, Chengde Medical College, Chengde, Hebei Province, China
| | - Die Cheng
- Department of Pathology, Chengde Medical College, Chengde, Hebei Province, China
| | - Jiayu Pang
- Department of Pathology, Chengde Medical College, Chengde, Hebei Province, China
| | - Yuqiao Peng
- Department of Pathology, Chengde Medical College, Chengde, Hebei Province, China
| | - Shunkang Jin
- Department of Pathology, Chengde Medical College, Chengde, Hebei Province, China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Chengde Medical College, Chengde, Hebei Province, China
| | - Yuhong Li
- Department of Pathology, Chengde Medical College, Chengde, Hebei Province, China; Cancer Research Laboratory, Chengde Medical College, Chengde, Hebei Province, China.
| | - Yanzhen Zuo
- Cancer Research Laboratory, Chengde Medical College, Chengde, Hebei Province, China.
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5
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Hongo H, Kosaka T, Takayama KI, Baba Y, Yasumizu Y, Ueda K, Suzuki Y, Inoue S, Beltran H, Oya M. G-protein signaling of oxytocin receptor as a potential target for cabazitaxel-resistant prostate cancer. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae002. [PMID: 38250514 PMCID: PMC10799637 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Although the treatment armamentarium for patients with metastatic prostate cancer has improved recently, treatment options after progression on cabazitaxel (CBZ) are limited. To identify the mechanisms underlying CBZ resistance and therapeutic targets, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from patients with CBZ-resistant prostate cancer. Cells were clustered based on gene expression profiles. In silico screening was used to nominate candidate drugs for overcoming CBZ resistance in castration-resistant prostate cancer. CTCs were divided into three to four clusters, reflecting intrapatient tumor heterogeneity in refractory prostate cancer. Pathway analysis revealed that clusters in two cases showed up-regulation of the oxytocin (OXT) receptor-signaling pathway. Spatial gene expression analysis of CBZ-resistant prostate cancer tissues confirmed the heterogeneous expression of OXT-signaling molecules. Cloperastine (CLO) had significant antitumor activity against CBZ-resistant prostate cancer cells. Mass spectrometric phosphoproteome analysis revealed the suppression of OXT signaling specific to CBZ-resistant models. These results support the potential of CLO as a candidate drug for overcoming CBZ-resistant prostate cancer via the inhibition of OXT signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Hongo
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Takeo Kosaka
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Takayama
- Department of Systems Aging Science and Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-001, Japan
| | - Yuto Baba
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Yota Yasumizu
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Koji Ueda
- Cancer Proteomics Group, Cancer Precision Medicine Center, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8550, Japan
| | - Yutaka Suzuki
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba 277-8562, Japan
| | - Satoshi Inoue
- Department of Systems Aging Science and Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-001, Japan
- Division of Systems Medicine and Gene Therapy, Saitama Medical University, Hidaka, Saitama 350-1298, Japan
| | - Himisha Beltran
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Mototsugu Oya
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
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6
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Zhang YJ, Yi DH. CDK1-SRC Interaction-Dependent Transcriptional Activation of HSP90AB1 Promotes Antitumor Immunity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:3714-3729. [PMID: 37949475 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to analyze multiomics data and construct a regulatory network involving kinases, transcription factors, and immune genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis. The researchers used transcriptomic, proteomic, and clinical data from TCGA and GEO databases to identify immune genes associated with HCC. Statistical analysis, meta-analysis, and protein-protein interaction analyses were performed to identify key immune genes and their relationships. In vitro and in vivo experiments validated the CDK1-SRC-HSP90AB1 network's effects on HCC progression and antitumor immunity. A prognostic risk model was developed using clinicopathological features and immune infiltration. The immune genes LPA, BIRC5, HSP90AB1, ROBO1, and CCL20 were identified as the key prognostic factors. The CDK1-SRC-HSP90AB1 network promoted HCC cell proliferation and migration, with HSP90AB1 being transcriptionally activated by the CDK1-SRC interaction. Manipulating SRC or HSP90AB1 reversed the effects of CDK1 and SRC on HCC. The CDK1-SRC-HSP90AB1 network also influenced HCC tumor formation and antitumor immunity. Overall, this study highlights the importance of the CDK1-SRC-HSP90AB1 network as a crucial immune-regulatory network in the HCC prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Jie Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Organ Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, P. R. China
- The Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation of Liaoning Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, P. R. China
| | - De-Hui Yi
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Organ Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, P. R. China
- The Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation of Liaoning Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, P. R. China
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7
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Sun Y, He S, Tang M, Zhang D, Meng B, Yu J, Liu Y, Li J. Combining WGCNA and machine learning to construct immune-related EMT patterns to predict HCC prognosis and immune microenvironment. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:7146-7160. [PMID: 37480570 PMCID: PMC10415538 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy with a very high mortality rate. Because of its high heterogeneity, there is an urgent need to find biomarkers that accurately predict prognosis. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is closely associated with frequent recurrence and high mortality of HCC. Therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively analyze the prognostic value and immunological properties of EMT gene in HCC. In our study, we performed bioinformatics analysis of the TCGA and ICGC liver cancer cohorts and identified the module genes of immune-associated EMTs (iEMT) by Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA). Further we used machine learning (support vector machines-recursive feature elimination and Lasso) to identify three central iEMT genes (ARMC9, ADAM15 and STC2) and construct iEMT_score. Subsequently, in the training and validation cohorts, it was demonstrated that the overall survival (OS) of patients in the high iEMT_score group was worse than that of patients in the low iEMT_score group. Based on this, we have constructed a nomogram that is easy for clinicians to use. In addition, our study explored differences in pathway enrichment, immunological properties, and sensitivity to common chemotherapy and targeted drugs in different subgroups of iEMT_score. Finally, we showed through in vitro experiments that knockdown of ARMC9 could significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells BEL7402. Taken together, our findings suggest that iEMT_score is an excellent biomarker for predicting prognosis and provide some new insights for personalized treatment of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yating Sun
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Shengfu He
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Mingyang Tang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Ding Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Bao Meng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jiawen Yu
- Department of Oncology, Anqing First People’s Hospital of Anhui Medical University/Anqing First People’s Hospital of Anhui Province, Anqing, Anhui, China
| | - Yanyan Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Anhui Center for Surveillance of Bacterial Resistance, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Institute of Bacterial Resistance, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jiabin Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Anhui Center for Surveillance of Bacterial Resistance, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Institute of Bacterial Resistance, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
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8
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Guo C, Tang Y, Yang Z, Li G, Zhang Y. Hallmark-guided subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma for the identification of immune-related gene classifiers in the prediction of prognosis, treatment efficacy, and drug candidates. Front Immunol 2022; 13:958161. [PMID: 36032071 PMCID: PMC9399518 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.958161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), accounting for ~90% of all primary liver cancer, is a prevalent malignancy worldwide. The intratumor heterogeneity of its causative etiology, histology, molecular landscape, and immune phenotype makes it difficult to precisely recognize individuals with high mortality risk or tumor-intrinsic treatment resistance, especially immunotherapy. Herein, we comprehensively evaluated the activities of cancer hallmark gene sets and their correlations with the prognosis of HCC patients using gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and identified two HCC subtypes with distinct prognostic outcomes. Based on these subtypes, seven immune-related genes (TMPRSS6, SPP1, S100A9, EPO, BIRC5, PLXNA1, and CDK4) were used to construct a novel prognostic gene signature [hallmark-guided subtypes-based immunologic signature (HGSIS)] via multiple statistical approaches. The HGSIS-integrated nomogram suggested an enhanced predictive performance. Interestingly, oncogenic hallmark pathways were significantly enriched in the high-risk group and positively associated with the risk score. Distinct mutational landscapes and immune profiles were observed between different risk groups. Moreover, immunophenoscore (IPS) and tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) analysis showed different sensitivities of HGSIS risk groups for immune therapy efficacy, and the pRRophetic algorithm indicated distinguishable responses for targeted/chemotherapies in different groups. KIF2C was picked out as the key target concerning HGSIS, and the top 10 small molecules were predicted to bind to the active site of KIF2C via molecular docking, which might be further used for candidate drug discovery of HCC. Taken together, our study offers novel insights for clinically significant subtype recognition, and the proposed signature may be a helpful guide for clinicians to improve the treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengbin Guo
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuqin Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhao Yang
- West China School of Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Gen Li
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yongqiang Zhang, ; Gen Li,
| | - Yongqiang Zhang
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Yongqiang Zhang, ; Gen Li,
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9
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Wu G, Yang Y, Zhu Y, Li Y, Zhai Z, An L, Liu M, Zheng Y, Wang Y, Zhou Y, Guo Q. Comprehensive Analysis to Identify the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition-Related Immune Signatures as a Prognostic and Therapeutic Biomarkers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Surg 2021; 8:742443. [PMID: 34722623 PMCID: PMC8554059 DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2021.742443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly heterogeneous disease with the high rates of the morbidity and mortality due to the lack of the effective prognostic model for prediction. Aim: To construct a risk model composed of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related immune genes for the assessment of the prognosis, immune infiltration status, and chemosensitivity. Methods: We obtained the transcriptome and clinical data of the HCC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and The International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases. The Pearson correlation analysis was applied to identify the differentially expressed EMT-related immune genes (DE-EMTri-genes). Subsequently, the univariate Cox regression was introduced to screen out the prognostic gene sets and a risk model was constructed based on the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator-penalized Cox regression. Additionally, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to compare the prognostic value of the newly established model compared with the previous model. Furthermore, the correlation between the risk model and survival probability, immune characteristic, and efficacy of the chemotherapeutics were analyzed by the bioinformatics methods. Results: Six DE-EMTri-genes were ultimately selected to construct the prognostic model. The area under the curve (AUC) values for 1-, 2-, and 3- year were 0.773, 0.721, and 0.673, respectively. Stratified survival analysis suggested that the prognosis of the low-score group was superior to the high-score group. Moreover, the univariate and multivariate analysis indicated that risk score [hazard ratio (HR) 5.071, 95% CI 3.050, 8.432; HR 4.396, 95% CI 2.624, 7.366; p < 0.001] and stage (HR 2.500, 95% CI 1.721, 3.632; HR 2.111, 95% CI 1.443, 3.089; p < 0.001) served as an independent predictive factors in HCC. In addition, the macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, and regulatory T (Treg) cells were significantly enriched in the high-risk group. Finally, the patients with the high-risk score might be more sensitive to cisplatin, doxorubicin, etoposide, gemcitabine, and mitomycin C. Conclusion: We established a reliable EMTri-genes-based prognostic signature, which may hold promise for the clinical prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guozhi Wu
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Gansu Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuan Yang
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Gansu Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yu Zhu
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of Hematology, the First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yemao Li
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Gansu Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zipeng Zhai
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Gansu Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lina An
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Gansu Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Min Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Gansu Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ya Zheng
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Gansu Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuping Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Gansu Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yongning Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Gansu Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qinghong Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Gansu Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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10
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Molecular classification of hepatocellular carcinoma: prognostic importance and clinical applications. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2021; 148:15-29. [PMID: 34623518 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-021-03826-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal human malignancy with a very low overall and long-term survival rate. Poor prognostic outcomes are predominantly associated with HCC due to a huge landscape of heterogeneity found in the deadliest disease. However, molecular subtyping of HCC has significantly improved the knowledge of the underlying mechanisms that contribute towards the heterogeneity and progression of the disease. In this review, we have extensively summarized the current information available about molecular classification of HCC. This review can be of great significance for providing the insight information needed for development of novel, efficient and personalized therapeutic options for the treatment of HCC patients globally.
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11
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Li G, Du X, Wu X, Wu S, Zhang Y, Xu J, Wang H, Chen T. Large-Scale Transcriptome Analysis Identified a Novel Cancer Driver Genes Signature for Predicting the Prognostic of Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:638622. [PMID: 34335239 PMCID: PMC8322950 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.638622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor with high mortality and heterogeneity. Genetic mutations caused by driver genes are important contributors to the formation of the tumor microenvironment. The purpose of this study is to discuss the expression of cancer driver genes in tumor tissues and their clinical value in predicting the prognosis of HCC. Methods: All data were sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) public databases. Differentially expressed and prognostic genes were screened by the expression distribution of the cancer driver genes and their relationship with survival. Candidate genes were subjected to functional enrichment and transcription factor regulatory network. We further constructed a prognostic signature and analyzed the survival outcomes and immune status between different risk groups. Results: Most cancer driver genes are specifically expressed in cancer tissues. Driver genes may influence HCC progression through processes such as transcription, cell cycle, and T-cell receptor-related pathways. Patients in different risk groups had significant survival differences (p < 0.05), and risk scores showed high predictive efficacy (AUC>0.69). Besides, risk subgroups were also associated with multiple immune functions and immune cell content. Conclusion: We confirmed the critical role of cancer driver genes in mediating HCC progression and the immune microenvironment. Risk subgroups contribute to the assessment of prognostic value in different patients and explain the heterogeneity of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gao Li
- Second Department of Oncology, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaowei Du
- Postgraduate College, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China.,Department of Oncology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaoxiong Wu
- Second Department of Oncology, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shen Wu
- Second Department of Oncology, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yufei Zhang
- Second Department of Oncology, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Xu
- Second Department of Oncology, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Second Department of Oncology, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Tingsong Chen
- Second Department of Oncology, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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12
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Yang Y, Wu G, Li Q, Zheng Y, Liu M, Zhou L, Chen Z, Wang Y, Guo Q, Ji R, Zhou Y. Angiogenesis-Related Immune Signatures Correlate With Prognosis, Tumor Microenvironment, and Therapeutic Sensitivity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:690206. [PMID: 34262941 PMCID: PMC8273615 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.690206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the highly heterogeneous cancers that lacks an effective risk model for prognosis prediction. Therefore, we searched for angiogenesis-related immune genes that affected the prognosis of HCC to construct a risk model and studied the role of this model in HCC. Methods: In this study, we collected the transcriptome data of HCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to identify the association between immune genes and angiogenesis-related genes. Consensus clustering was applied to divide patients into clusters A and B. Subsequently, we studied the differentially expressed angiogenesis-related immune genes (DEari-genes) that affected the prognosis of HCC. The most significant features were identified by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, and a risk model was constructed. The reliability of the risk model was evaluated in the TCGA discovery cohort and the ICGC validation cohort. In addition, we compared the novel risk model to the previous models based on ROC analysis. ssGSEA analysis was used for function evaluation, and pRRophetic was utilized to predict the sensitivity of administering chemotherapeutic agents. Results: Cluster A patients had favorable survival rates. A total of 23 DEari-genes were correlated with the prognosis of HCC. A five-gene (including BIRC5, KITLG, PGF, SPP1, and SHC1) signature-based risk model was constructed. After regrouping the HCC patients by the median score, we could effectively discriminate between them based on the adverse survival outcome, the unique tumor immune microenvironment, and low chemosensitivity. Conclusion: The five-gene signature-based risk score established by ari-genes showed a promising clinical prediction value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Yang
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Guozhi Wu
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ya Zheng
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Min Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lingshan Zhou
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhaofeng Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuping Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qinghong Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Rui Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yongning Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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