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Wang P, Liu Y, Wei L, Wang J, Wang J, Du B. Development of a Novel Prognostic Model for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Insights into Immune Cell Interactions and Drug Sensitivity. Cancer Invest 2024:1-17. [PMID: 38616306 DOI: 10.1080/07357907.2024.2340576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) presents a five-year survival rate below 20%, underscoring the need for improved prognostic markers. Our study analyzed ESCC-specific datasets to identify consistently differentially expressed genes. A Venn analysis followed by gene network interactions revealed 23 key genes, from which we built a prognostic model using the COX algorithm (p = 0.000245, 3-year AUC = 0.967). This model stratifies patients into risk groups, with high-risk individuals showing worse outcomes and lower chemotherapy sensitivity. Moreover, a link between risk scores and M2 macrophage infiltration, as well as significant correlations with immune checkpoint genes (e.g., SIGLEC15, PDCD1LG2, and HVCR2), was discovered. High-risk patients had lower Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) values, suggesting potential responsiveness to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Our efficient 23-gene prognostic model for ESCC indicates a dual utility in assessing prognosis and guiding therapeutic decisions, particularly in the context of ICB therapy for high-risk patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu Wang
- Center of Healthy Aging, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, PR China
| | - Yu Liu
- Center of Healthy Aging, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, PR China
| | - Lingyu Wei
- Central Laboratory of Clinical Research, Heping Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, PR China
| | - Jia Wang
- Center of Healthy Aging, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, PR China
| | - Jinsheng Wang
- First Clinical College of Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, PR China
| | - Bin Du
- Center of Healthy Aging, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, PR China
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Tan X, Chen S, Luo Q, You S, Yuan H, Wang J. Identification of metabolism terms significantly affecting hepatocellular carcinoma immune microenvironment and immunotherapy response. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18018. [PMID: 37944063 PMCID: PMC10805494 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18018] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic pathways exert a significant influence on the onset and progression of cancer. Public data on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases. Analysis was performed in R software using different R packages. Here, we integrated the data from multiple independent HCC cohorts, including TCGA-LIHC, ICGC-FR and ICGC-JP. Then, the enrichment score of 21 metabolism-related pathways was quantified using the ssGSEA algorithm. Next, univariate Cox regression analysis was applied to identify the metabolic terms with significant correlation to patient survival. Finally, a prognosis model based on linoleic acid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism and regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes was established, which showed good performance in predicting patients' survival. Furthermore, we conducted a biological enrichment analysis to delineate the biological disparities between high- and low-risk patients. Notably, we discerned differences in the microenvironments between these two patient groups. We also found that low-risk patients could potentially respond better to immunotherapy. Drug sensitivity analysis suggested that low-risk patients are more susceptible to bexarotene and erlotinib, yet exhibit resistance to ATRA and bleomycin. Furthermore, through the use of LASSO logistic regression analysis, we identified 19 characteristic genes, which could robustly indicate the risk groups. Our research underscores the role of linoleic acid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism and the regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes in HCC, pointing towards potential avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xijuan Tan
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryAffiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for NationalitiesGuangxiChina
| | - Sizong Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryAffiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for NationalitiesGuangxiChina
| | - Qiyi Luo
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryAffiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for NationalitiesGuangxiChina
| | - Shenglin You
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryAffiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for NationalitiesGuangxiChina
| | - Hankun Yuan
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryAffiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for NationalitiesGuangxiChina
| | - Jianchu Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryAffiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for NationalitiesGuangxiChina
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Shao G, Fan Z, Qiu W, Lv G. Development and validation of a model to predict the risk of distant metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma: a real-world retrospective study. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:16489-16499. [PMID: 37712961 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05361-2] [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: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to construct a novel clinical prediction model to predict the risk of distant metastases (DM) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS We included 3869 HCC patients, comprising 3076 patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and 793 patients from a hospital in China. Variables with a P-value < 0.05 in the univariate logistic analysis were entered into the multivariate analysis to determine the independent predictive factors for DM in HCC. A nomogram was created based on the independent predictive factors. The predictive performance of the model was assessed using the receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) curve, decision curve analysis (DCA), calibration curves, and clinical impact curve analysis (CIC). Additionally, we developed a user-friendly web-based calculator based on the model. RESULTS The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that tumor size (P < 0.001), type of treatment (P < 0.001), T stage (P = 0.001), N stage (P < 0.001), and grade (P = 0.043) were identified as independent predictive factors. A nomogram was constructed based on these factors. The area under the ROC curves (AUC) value was 0.845 (95% CI 0.815-0.874) for the training set, 0.818 (95% CI 0.774-0.863) for the internal validation set, and 0.823 (95% CI 0.770-0.876) for the external validation set. Moreover, DCA analysis, calibration curves, and CIC analysis demonstrated the favorable predictive performance of the nomogram. Finally, a more user-friendly web-based calculator was developed. CONCLUSION We developed a nomogram and showed its favorable predictive performance in predicting DM in HCC. Furthermore, we developed a more user-friendly web-based calculator, which has the potential to aid clinicians in individualized diagnosis and make better clinical decisions for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangzhao Shao
- General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhongqi Fan
- General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wei Qiu
- General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Guoyue Lv
- General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
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Sun J, Xi L, Zhang D, Gao F, Wang L, Yang G. A novel tumor immunotherapy-related signature for risk stratification, prognosis prediction, and immune status in hepatocellular carcinoma. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18709. [PMID: 37907783 PMCID: PMC10618198 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46252-3] [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: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy as a strategy to deal with cancer is increasingly being used clinically, especially in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aim to create an immunotherapy-related signature that can play a role in predicting HCC patients' survival and therapeutic outcomes. Immunotherapy-related genes were discovered first. Clinical information and gene expression data were extracted from GSE140901. By a series of bioinformatics methods to analyze, overlapping genes were used to build an immunotherapy-related signature that could contribute to predict both the prognosis of people with hepatocellular carcinoma and responder to immune checkpoint blockade therapy of them in TCGA database. Differences of the two groups in immune cell subpopulations were then compared. Furthermore, A nomogram was constructed, based on the immunotherapy-related signature and clinicopathological features, and proved to be highly predictive. Finally, immunohistochemistry assays were performed in HCC tissue and normal tissue adjacent tumors to verify the differences of the four genes expression. As a result of this study, a prognostic protein profile associated with immunotherapy had been created, which could be applied to predict patients' response to immunotherapy and may provide a new perspective as clinicians focus on non-apoptotic treatment for patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianping Sun
- Department of Pathology, Zhengzhou YIHE Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan Province, China
| | - Lefeng Xi
- Department of Pathology, Zhengzhou YIHE Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan Province, China
| | - Dechen Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Zhengzhou YIHE Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan Province, China
| | - Feipei Gao
- Department of Pathology, Zhengzhou YIHE Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan Province, China
| | - Liqin Wang
- Department of Pathology, Zhengzhou YIHE Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan Province, China
| | - Guangying Yang
- Department of Pathology, Zhengzhou YIHE Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan Province, China.
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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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Zhang K, Li J, Yuan E. A necroptosis-related gene signature to predict prognosis and immune features in hepatocellular carcinoma. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:660. [PMID: 37452311 PMCID: PMC10347745 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11168-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Necroptosis plays an important role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, recurrence, and immunotherapy tolerance. We aimed to build a new prognostic necroptosis-related gene signature that could be used for survival and immunotherapy prediction in HCC patients. METHODS We found that necroptosis was associated with HCC progression and survival outcomes and was involved in the immune infiltration of HCC. Multiple bioinformatics methods including WGCNA, LASSO-Cox regression, stepwise Cox regression, and Random Forest and Boruta model analysis, were used to establish a prognostic profile related to necroptosis. The necroptosis-related gene signature was validated in ICGC and GSE14520 datasets. RESULTS This five-gene signature showed excellent predictive performance and was an independent risk factor for patients' overall survival outcome in the three cohorts. Moreover, this signature was an exact predictor using fewer genes than previous gene signatures. Finally, qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining investigations were performed in previously collected fresh frozen tumor tissues from HCC patients and their paracancerous normal tissues, and the results were consistent with the bioinformatics results. We found that LGALS3 not only affected the proliferation and migration ability of HepG2 cells but also affected necroptosis and the expression of inflammatory cytokines. CONCLUSION In summary, we established and validated an individualized prognostic profile related to necroptosis to forecast the therapeutic response to immune therapy, which might offer a potential non-apoptotic therapeutic target for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 7 Kangfu Qian Street, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jinpeng Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 7 Kangfu Qian Street, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Enwu Yuan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 7 Kangfu Qian Street, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, People's Republic of China.
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Luo S, Jia Y, Zhang Y, Zhang X. A transcriptomic intratumour heterogeneity-free signature overcomes sampling bias in prognostic risk classification for hepatocellular carcinoma. JHEP Rep 2023; 5:100754. [PMID: 37234275 PMCID: PMC10206488 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims Intratumour heterogeneity (ITH) fosters the vulnerability of RNA expression-based biomarkers derived from a single biopsy to tumour sampling bias, and is regarded as an unaddressed confounding factor for patient precision stratification using molecular biomarkers. This study aimed to identify an ITH-free predictive biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods We interrogated the confounding effect of ITH on performance of molecular biomarkers and quantified transcriptomic heterogeneity utilising three multiregional HCC transcriptome datasets involving 142 tumoural regions from 30 patients. A de novo strategy based on the heterogeneity metrics was devised to develop a surveillant biomarker (a utility gadget using RNA; AUGUR) using three datasets involving 715 liver samples from 509 patients with HCC. The performance of AUGUR was assessed in seven cross-platform HCC cohorts that encompassed 1,206 patients. Results An average discordance rate of 39.9% at the level of individual patients was observed applying 13 published prognostic signatures to classify tumour regions. We partitioned genes into four heterogeneity quadrants, from which we developed and validated a reproducible robust ITH-free expression signature AUGUR that showed significant positive associations with adverse features of HCC. High AUGUR risk increased the risk of disease progression and mortality independent of established clinicopathological indices, which maintained concordance across seven cohorts. Moreover, AUGUR compared favourably to the discriminative ability, prognostic accuracy, and patient risk concordant rates of 13 published signatures. Finally, a well-calibrated predictive nomogram integrating AUGUR and tumour-node-metastasis (TNM) stage was established, which generated a numerical probability of mortality. Conclusions We constructed and validated an ITH-free AUGUR and nomogram that overcame sampling bias and provided reliable prognostic information for patients with HCC. Impact and Implications Intratumour heterogeneity (ITH) is prevalent in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and is regarded as an unaddressed confounding factor for biomarker design and application. We examined the confounding effect of transcriptomic ITH in patient risk classification, and found existing molecular biomarkers of HCC were vulnerable to tumour sampling bias. We then developed an ITH-free expression biomarker (a utility gadget using RNA; AUGUR) that overcame clinical sampling bias and maintained prognostic reproducibility and generalisability across multiple HCC patient cohorts from different commercial platforms. Furthermore, we established and validated a well-calibrated nomogram based on AUGUR and tumour-node-metastasis (TNM) stage that provided an individualised prognostic information for patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shangyi Luo
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Molecular Probe and Targeted Theranostics, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Child Development and Genetic Research, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Ying Jia
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Child Development and Genetic Research, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Department of Child and Adolescent Health, Public Health College, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yajing Zhang
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Molecular Probe and Targeted Theranostics, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Child Development and Genetic Research, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Molecular Probe and Targeted Theranostics, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Child Development and Genetic Research, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
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HAMP as a Potential Diagnostic, PD-(L)1 Immunotherapy Sensitivity and Prognostic Biomarker in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020360. [PMID: 36830729 PMCID: PMC9953231 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020360] [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: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a global medical problem. Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) is a powerful weapon against many cancers, but it is not sensitive to some patients with HCC. We obtained datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database on HCC patients and PD-1 immunotherapy to select seven intersecting DEGs. Through Lasso regression, two intersecting genes were acquired as predictors of HCC and PD-1 treatment prognosis, including HAMP and FOS. Logistic regression was performed to build a prediction model. HAMP had a better ability to diagnose HCC and predict PD1 treatment sensitivity. Further, we adapted the support vector machine (SVM) technique using HAMP to predict triple-classified outcomes after PD1 treatment in HCC patients, which had an excellent classification ability. We also performed external validation using TCGA data, which showed that HAMP was elevated in the early stage of HCC. HAMP was positively correlated with the infiltration of 18 major immune cells and the expression of 2 important immune checkpoints, PDCD1 and CTLA4. We discovered a biomarker that can be used for the early diagnosis, prognosis and PD1 immunotherapy efficacy prediction of HCC for the first time and developed a diagnostic model, prognostic model and prediction model of PD1 treatment sensitivity and treatment outcome for HCC patients accordingly.
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Wang H, Shi W, Lu J, Liu Y, Zhou W, Yu Z, Qin S, Fan J. HCC: RNA-Sequencing in Cirrhosis. Biomolecules 2023; 13:141. [PMID: 36671526 PMCID: PMC9855755 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks the most common types of cancer worldwide. As the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths, its prognosis remains poor. Most patients developed HCC on the basis of chronic liver disease. Cirrhosis is an important precancerous lesion for HCC. However, the molecular mechanisms in HCC development are still unclear. To explore the changes at the level of transcriptome in this process, we performed RNA-sequencing on cirrhosis, HCC and paracancerous tissues. Continuously changing mRNA was identified using Mfuzz cluster analysis, then their functions were explored by enrichment analyses. Data of cirrhotic HCC patients were obtained from TCGA, and a fatty acid metabolism (FAM)-related prognostic signature was then established. The performance and immunity relevance of the signature were verified in internal and external datasets. Finally, we validated the expression and function of ADH1C by experiments. As a result, 2012 differently expressed mRNA were identified by RNA-sequencing and bioinformatics analyses. Fatty acid metabolism was identified as a critical pathway by enrichment analyses of the DEGs. A FAM-related prognostic model and nomogram based on it were efficient in predicting the prognosis of cirrhotic HCC patients, as patients with higher risk scores had shorter survival time. Risk scores calculated by the signature were then proved to be associated with a tumor immune environment. ADH1C were downregulated in HCC, while silence of ADH1C could significantly promote proliferation and motility of the HCC cell line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Wenjie Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Jing Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Zekun Yu
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Shengying Qin
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Junwei Fan
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200080, China
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Yu X, Chen P, Yi W, Ruan W, Xiong X. Identification of cell senescence molecular subtypes in prediction of the prognosis and immunotherapy of hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1029872. [PMID: 36275676 PMCID: PMC9582940 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1029872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high incidence and fatality rate worldwide, being among the most prevalent cancers. The growing body of data indicating cellular senescence (CS) to be a critical factor in hepatocarcinogenesis. The predictive value of CS in HBV-related HCC and its role in the immune microenvironment are unknown. To determine the cellular senescence profile of HBV-related HCC and its role in shaping the immune microenvironment, this study employed a rigorous evaluation of multiple datasets encompassing 793 HBV-related HCC samples. Two novel distinct CS subtypes were first identified by nonnegative matrix factorization, and we found that the senescence-activated subgroup had the worst prognosis and correlated with cancer progression. C1 and C2 were identified as the senescence-suppressed and senescence-activated subgroups. The immune microenvironment indicated that C2 exhibited a relatively low immune status, higher tumor purity, and lower immune scores and estimated scores, while the C1 subgroup possessed a better prognosis. The CS score signature based on five genes (CENPA, EZH2, G6PD, HDAC1, and PRPF19) was established using univariate Cox regression and the lasso method. ICGC-LIRI and GSE14520 cohorts were used to validate the reliability of the CS scoring system. In addition, we examined the association between the risk score and hallmark pathways through gene set variation analysis and gene set enrichment analysis. The results revealed a high CS score to be associated with the activation of cell senescence-related pathways. The CS score and other clinical features were combined to generate a CS dynamic nomogram with a better predictive capacity for OS at 1, 2, and 3 years than other clinical parameters. Our study demonstrated that cellular senescence patterns play a non-negligible role in shaping the characteristics of the immune microenvironment and profoundly affecting tumor prognosis. The results of this study will help predict patient prognosis more accurately and may assist in development of personalized immunotherapy for HBV-related HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Yu
- School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoli Xiong,
| | - Peng Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoli Xiong,
| | - Wei Yi
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wen Ruan
- School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoli Xiong
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoli Xiong,
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Ayna Duran G, Benderli Cihan Y. Autophagy-related genes affect the survival of multiple myeloma patients depending on chromosomal abnormality. ASIAN BIOMED 2022; 16:249-264. [PMID: 37551318 PMCID: PMC10321186 DOI: 10.2478/abm-2022-0028] [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] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Background Targeting autophagy at gene level may be promising in multiple myeloma (MM) treatment depending on chromosomal abnormality (ABN) status. Objectives We aimed to investigate the role of ABN on survival of MM patients and to identify prognosis related autophagy-related genes (ARGs) for patients with or without ABN. Methods Gene intensity values of 222 ARG for 548 MM patients were obtained from the Affymetrix Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 Array (GPL570) platform containing 54,675 probes (GSE24080). A dataset containing data from 1576 MM patients with 1q21 amplification (GSE4204, GSE4452, GSE4581, and GSE2658) was used for validation. Survival analysis of the patients was analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression method with the help of R3.53 programming language and Kaplan-Meier graphics were created. The Gene Ontology enRIchmentanaLysis and visuaLizAtion (GOrilla) tool was used to define the related biological processes and pathways. Results The overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) in all MM patients were strongly influenced by ABN. In the group of patients with ABN, 41 ARGs were found to be important in prognosis, whereas in the group of patients without ABN, 13 ARGs were found to be important in prognosis. CDKN1A, FKBP1B, FOXO3, and NCKAP1 ARGs were commonly significant in both groups and found to be survival triggering. Conclusions The classification of MM patients according to the absence or presence of ABN is important in the determination of survival status. Detection of survival related ARGs in patients with chromosomal anomalies may be a new therapeutic target in treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gizem Ayna Duran
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Izmir University of Economics, Balçova, İzmir35330, Turkey
| | - Yasemin Benderli Cihan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Kayseri City Education and Research Hospital, Kocasinan, Kayseri38080, Turkey
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12
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Yu L, Shen N, Shi Y, Shi X, Fu X, Li S, Zhu B, Yu W, Zhang Y. Characterization of cancer-related fibroblasts (CAF) in hepatocellular carcinoma and construction of CAF-based risk signature based on single-cell RNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq data. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1009789. [PMID: 36211448 PMCID: PMC9537943 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1009789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are involved in tumor growth, angiogenesis, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. We sought to explore the CAFs characteristics in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and establish a CAF-based risk signature for predicting the prognosis of HCC patients. Methods The signal-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data was obtained from the GEO database. Bulk RNA-seq data and microarray data of HCC were obtained from the TCGA and GEO databases respectively. Seurat R package was applied to process scRNA-seq data and identify CAF clusters according to the CAF markers. Differential expression analysis was performed to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between normal and tumor samples in TCGA dataset. Then Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the DEGs associated with CAF clusters, followed by the univariate Cox regression analysis to identify CAF-related prognostic genes. Lasso regression was implemented to construct a risk signature based on CAF-related prognostic genes. Finally, a nomogram model based on the risk signature and clinicopathological characteristics was developed. Results Based on scRNA-seq data, we identified 4 CAF clusters in HCC, 3 of which were associated with prognosis in HCC. A total of 423 genes were identified from 2811 DEGs to be significantly correlated with CAF clusters, and were narrowed down to generate a risk signature with 6 genes. These six genes were primarily connected with 39 pathways, such as angiogenesis, apoptosis, and hypoxia. Meanwhile, the risk signature was significantly associated with stromal and immune scores, as well as some immune cells. Multivariate analysis revealed that risk signature was an independent prognostic factor for HCC, and its value in predicting immunotherapeutic outcomes was confirmed. A novel nomogram integrating the stage and CAF-based risk signature was constructed, which exhibited favorable predictability and reliability in the prognosis prediction of HCC. Conclusion CAF-based risk signatures can effectively predict the prognosis of HCC, and comprehensive characterization of the CAF signature of HCC may help to interpret the response of HCC to immunotherapy and provide new strategies for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianghe Yu
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ningjia Shen
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Shi
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xintong Shi
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaohui Fu
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuang Li
- Bioinformatics R&D Department, Hangzhou Mugu Technology Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Shuang Li, ; Bin Zhu, ; Wenlong Yu, ; Yongjie Zhang,
| | - Bin Zhu
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Shuang Li, ; Bin Zhu, ; Wenlong Yu, ; Yongjie Zhang,
| | - Wenlong Yu
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Shuang Li, ; Bin Zhu, ; Wenlong Yu, ; Yongjie Zhang,
| | - Yongjie Zhang
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, the third affiliated hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Shuang Li, ; Bin Zhu, ; Wenlong Yu, ; Yongjie Zhang,
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13
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Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Related Signature for Predicting Prognosis and Immune Features in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Immunol Res 2022; 2022:1366508. [PMID: 36003068 PMCID: PMC9393196 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1366508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with cancer cells under endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has a poor prognosis. This study is aimed at discovering credible biomarkers for predicting the prognosis of HCC based on ER stress-related genes (ERSRGs). We constructed a novel four-ERSRG prognostic risk model, including PON1, AGR2, SSR2, and TMCC1, through a series of bioinformatic approaches, which can accurately predict survival outcomes in HCC patients. Higher risk scores were linked to later grade, recurrence, advanced TNM stage, later T stage, and HBV infection. In addition, 20 fresh frozen tumors and normal tissues from HCC patients were collected and used to validate the genes expressed in the signature by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical (IHC) assays. Moreover, we found the ER stress-related signature could reflect the infiltration levels of different immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and forecast the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment. Finally, we created a nomogram incorporating this ER stress-related signature. In conclusion, our constructed four-gene risk model associated with ER stress can accurately predict survival outcomes in HCC patients, and the model's risk score is associated with the poor clinical classification.
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14
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M6A Modifier-Mediated Methylation Characterized by Diverse Prognosis, Tumor Microenvironment, and Immunotherapy Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:2513813. [PMID: 36016585 PMCID: PMC9398803 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2513813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Objective. Emerging evidence highlights the clinical implications of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification in HCC. Yet, the roles of m6A modification in modulating cancer immunity and shaping tumor microenvironment (TME) are undefined in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods. Here, m6A modification classification was determined for HCC through 23 m6A modifier levels by employing consensus clustering approach. Prognosis analysis was presented for comparing the differences in survival outcomes. The ssGSEA and ESTIMATE approaches were adopted for evaluating the abundances of tumor-infiltrating immune cell populations. The m6A scoring system was computed for reflecting m6A modification classification via PCA algorithm. Results. Three m6A modifier-mediated modification patterns were established among HCC specimens, which were characterized by different prognosis, signaling pathways, and TME features. After extracting m6A phenotype-associated DEGs, we determined m6A scores in individual HCC and stratified patients into high- and low-score groups. Patients with low m6A score displayed the survival advantage and higher sensitivity to gemcitabine. Moreover, those with low m6A score possessed the better anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapeutic response in the IMvigor210 immunotherapy cohort. Conclusion. Our findings highlighted that m6A modification exerted a nonnegligible role in remodeling diverse and complex TME. Quantification of the m6A modification patterns of individual HCC may enhance the comprehension of TME features and facilitate immunotherapeutic plans.
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15
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Yu L, Liu X, Wang X, Yan H, Pu Q, Xie Y, Du J, Yang Z. Glycometabolism-related gene signature of hepatocellular carcinoma predicts prognosis and guides immunotherapy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:940551. [PMID: 35938165 PMCID: PMC9354664 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.940551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a severe cancer endangering human health. We constructed a novel glycometabolism-related risk score to predict prognosis and immunotherapy strategies in HCC patients. The HCC data sets were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and the glycometabolism-related gene sets were obtained from the Molecular Signature Database. The least absolute contraction and selection operator (LASSO) regression model was used to construct a risk score based on glycometabolism-related genes. A simple visual nomogram model with clinical indicators was constructed and its effectiveness in calibration, accuracy, and clinical value was evaluated. We also explored the correlation between glycometabolism-related risk scores and molecular pathways, immune cells, and functions. Patients in the low-risk group responded better to anti-CTLA-4 immune checkpoint treatment and benefited from immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. The study found that glycometabolism-related risk score can effectively distinguish the prognosis, molecular and immune-related characteristics of HCC patients, and may provide a new strategy for individualized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Yu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinhui Wang
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Huiwen Yan
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Qing Pu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqing Xie
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- First Clinical Medical College, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Du
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
- National Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Juan Du, ; Zhiyun Yang,
| | - Zhiyun Yang
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Juan Du, ; Zhiyun Yang,
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16
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Huang ZL, Xu B, Li TT, Xu YH, Huang XY, Huang XY. Integrative Analysis Identifies Cell-Type-Specific Genes Within Tumor Microenvironment as Prognostic Indicators in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:878923. [PMID: 35707353 PMCID: PMC9190278 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.878923] [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: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, but effective early detection and prognostication methods are lacking. Methods The Cox regression model was built to stratify the HCC patients. The single-cell RNA sequencing data analysis and gene set enrichment analysis were employed to investigate the biological function of identified markers. PLCB1 gain- or loss-of-function experiments were performed, and obtained HCC samples were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry assay to validate the biological function of identified markers. Results In this study, we developed a model using optimized markers for HCC recurrence prediction. Specifically, we screened out 8 genes through a series of data analyses, and built a multivariable Cox model based on their expression. The risk stratifications using the Eight-Gene Cox (EGC) model were closely associated with the recurrence-free survivals (RFS) in both training and three validation cohorts. We further demonstrated that this risk stratification could serve as an independent predictor in predicting HCC recurrence, and that the EGC model could outperform other models. Moreover, we also investigated the cell-type-specific expression patterns of the eight recurrence-related genes in tumor microenvironment using single-cell RNA sequencing data, and interpreted their functional roles from correlation and gene set enrichment analyses, in vitro and in vivo experiments. Particularly, PLCB1 and SLC22A7 were predominantly expressed in malignant cells, and they were predicted to promote angiogenesis and to help maintain normal metabolism in liver, respectively. In contrast, both FASLG and IL2RB were specifically expressed in T cells, and were highly correlated with T cell marker genes, suggesting that these two genes might assist in maintaining normal function of T cell-mediated immune response in tumor tissues. Conclusion In conclusion, the EGC model and eight identified marker genes could not only facilitate the accurate prediction of HCC recurrence, but also improve our understanding of the mechanisms behind HCC recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Li Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.,Department of Radiology, Xuhui District Central Hospital of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.,Department of General Surgery, The Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting-Ting Li
- Department of Infectious Disease, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong-Hua Xu
- Department of Radiology, Xuhui District Central Hospital of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin-Yu Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiu-Yan Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
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17
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Zhang W, Chen K, Tian W, Zhang Q, Sun L, Wang Y, Liu M, Zhang Q. A Novel and Robust Prognostic Model for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Enhancer RNAs-Regulated Genes. Front Oncol 2022; 12:849242. [PMID: 35646665 PMCID: PMC9133429 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.849242] [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: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence has demonstrated that enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) play a vital role in the progression and prognosis of cancers, but few studies have focused on the prognostic ability of eRNA-regulated genes (eRGs) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Using gene expression profiles of HCC patients from the TCGA-LIHC and eRNA expression profiles from the enhancer RNA in cancers (eRic) data portal, we developed a novel and robust prognostic signature composed of 10 eRGs based on Lasso-penalized Cox regression analysis. According to the signature, HCC patients were stratified into high- and low-risk groups, which have been shown to have significant differences in tumor immune microenvironment, immune checkpoints, HLA-related genes, DNA damage repair-related genes, Gene-set variation analysis (GSVA), and the lower half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Sorafenib. The prognostic nomogram combining the signature, age, and TNM stage had good predictive ability in the training set (TCGA-LIHC) with the concordance index (C-index) of 0.73 and the AUCs for 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS of 0.82, 0.77, 0.74, respectively. In external validation set (GSE14520), the nomogram also performed well with the C-index of 0.71 and the AUCs for 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS of 0.74, 0.77, 0.74, respectively. In addition, an important eRG (AKR1C3) was validated using two HCC cell lines (Huh7 and MHCC-LM3) in vitro, and the results demonstrated the overexpression of AKR1C3 is related to cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in HCC. Altogether, our eRGs signature and nomogram can predict prognosis accurately and conveniently, facilitate individualized treatment, and improve prognosis for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Kegong Chen
- Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.,Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Wei Tian
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Lin Sun
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yupeng Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Meina Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Qiuju Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
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18
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Cai D, Zhao Z, Hu J, Dai X, Zhong G, Gong J, Qi F. Identification of the Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Therapeutic Biomarkers by a Novel Molecular Subtype Based on Aging-Related Genes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Surg 2022; 9:836080. [PMID: 35392063 PMCID: PMC8980463 DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2022.836080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignant tumors with poor prognosis. Increasing evidence has revealed that immune cells and checkpoints in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and aging are associated with the prognosis of HCC. However, the association between aging and the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) in HCC is still unclear.MethodsRNA expression profiles and clinical data concerning HCC were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Based on differentially expressed aging-related genes (DEAGs), unsupervised clustering was used to identify a novel molecular subtype in HCC. The features of immune cell infiltration and checkpoints were further explored through CIBERSORTx. Enrichment analysis and both univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were conducted to construct a 3-gene model for predicting prognosis and chemosensitivity. Finally, the mRNA and protein expression levels of the 3 genes were verified in HCC and other cancers through database searches and experiments.ResultsEleven differentially expressed AGs (GHR, APOC3, FOXM1, PON1, TOP2A, FEN1, HELLS, BUB1B, PPARGC1A, PRKDC, and H2AFX) correlated with the prognosis of HCC were used to divide HCC into two subtypes in which the prognosis was different. In cluster 2, which had a poorer prognosis, the infiltration of naive B cells and monocytes was lower in the TCGA and GEO cohorts, while the infiltration of M0 macrophages was higher. In addition, the TCGA cohort indicated that the microenvironment of cluster 2 had more immunosuppression through immune checkpoints. Enrichment analysis suggested that the MYC and E2F targets were positively associated with cluster 2 in the TCGA and GEO cohorts. Additionally, 3 genes (HMGCS2, SLC22A1, and G6PD) were screened to construct the prognostic model through univariate/multivariate Cox analysis. Then, the model was validated through the TCGA validation set and GEO dataset (GSE54236). Cox analysis indicated that the risk score was an independent prognostic factor and that patients in the high-risk group were sensitive to multiple targeted drugs (sorafenib, gemcitabine, rapamycin, etc.). Finally, significantly differential expression of the 3 genes was detected across cancers.ConclusionWe systematically described the immune differences in the TME between the molecular subtypes based on AGs and constructed a novel three-gene signature to predict prognosis and chemosensitivity in patients with HCC.
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19
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Qiu ZQ, Wang X, Ji XW, Jiang FJ, Han XY, Zhang WL, An YH. The clinical relevance of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and its correlations with tumorigenic immune infiltrates in hepatocellular carcinoma. Immunology 2022; 166:185-196. [PMID: 35274290 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a cancer with extremely high mortality. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) may play an important role in the occurrence, invasion, and prognosis of HCC; however, its relationship with immunity in HCC has not yet been studied. Therefore, we investigated the diagnostic and prognostic values of EMT and explored its potential connections with tumorigenic immune infiltrates in HCC. We first proposed a quantitative metric of EMT activity, the EMT score. After applying this metric to 20 datasets from the Integrative Molecular Database of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, The Cancer Genome Atlas, and the Gene Expression Omnibus, we explored the ability of the EMT score to stratify across sample types. We then applied the EMT score for survival analysis and to differentiate patients with/without vascular invasion to test its prognostic value. We also collected and calculated data on the abundance of immune cells and immune cell markers in HCC and investigated their correlations with EMT scores. Finally, we synthesized and analyzed 20 datasets and constructed an EMT-gene-immune linkage network. The results showed higher EMT scores in HCC samples than in cirrhotic and normal livers. The cases with higher EMT scores also showed poorer performance in terms of prognostic factors such as vascular invasion and overall survival time. Our research demonstrated a broad correlation between EMT and the tumor immune microenvironment, and we uncovered multiple potential linkers associated with both EMT and immunity. Studying EMT has clinical relevance and high diagnostic and prognostic value for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Qiang Qiu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Xiang-Wen Ji
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Center for Noncoding RNA Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Fen-Jun Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100093, China.,Department of Research and Development, Beijing Yihua Biological Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing, 100041, China
| | - Xin-Ye Han
- Department of Research and Development, Beijing Yihua Biological Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing, 100041, China
| | - Wei-Li Zhang
- Department of Inpatient Administration and Medical Record Management, Third Medical Center, General Hospital of Chinese PLA, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Yi-Hua An
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100093, China
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20
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El-Nakeep S. Molecular and genetic markers in hepatocellular carcinoma: In silico analysis to clinical validation (current limitations and future promises). World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol 2022; 13:1-14. [PMID: 35116176 PMCID: PMC8788164 DOI: 10.4291/wjgp.v13.i1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Revised: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second cause of cancer-related mortality. The diagnosis of HCC depends mainly on α-fetoprotein, which is limited in its diagnostic and screening capabilities. There is an urgent need for a biomarker that detects early HCC to give the patients a chance for curative treatment. New targets of therapy could enhance survival and create future alternative curative methods. In silico analysis provides both; discovery of biomarkers, and understanding of the molecular pathways, to pave the way for treatment development. This review discusses the role of in silico analysis in the discovery of biomarkers, molecular pathways, and the role the author has contributed to this area of research. It also discusses future aspirations and current limitations. A literature review was conducted on the topic using various databases (PubMed, Science Direct, and Wiley Online Library), searching in various reviews, and editorials on the topic, with overviewing the author’s own published and unpublished work. This review discussed the steps of the validation process from in silico analysis to in vivo validation, to incorporation into clinical practice guidelines. In addition, reviewing the recent lines of research of bioinformatic studies related to HCC. In conclusion, the genetic, molecular and epigenetic markers discoveries are hot areas for HCC research. Bioinformatics will enhance our ability to accomplish this understanding in the near future. We face certain limitations that we need to overcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah El-Nakeep
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11591, Egypt
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21
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Wang Y, Liu ZP. Identifying biomarkers for breast cancer by gene regulatory network rewiring. BMC Bioinformatics 2022; 22:308. [PMID: 35045805 PMCID: PMC8772043 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-021-04225-1] [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: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mining gene regulatory network (GRN) is an important avenue for addressing cancer mechanism. Mutations in cancer genome perturb GRN and cause a rewiring in an orchestrated network. Hence, the exploration of gene regulatory network rewiring is significant to discover potential biomarkers and indicators for discriminating cancer phenotypes. Results Here, we propose a new bioinformatics method of identifying biomarkers based on network rewiring in different states. It firstly reconstructs GRN in different phenotypic conditions from gene expression data with a priori background network. We employ the algorithm based on path consistency algorithm and conditional mutual information to delete false-positive regulatory interactions between independent nodes/genes or not closely related gene pairs. And then a differential gene regulatory network (D-GRN) is constructed from the rewiring parts in the two phenotype-specific GRNs. Community detection technique is then applied for D-GRN to detect functional modules. Finally, we apply logistic regression classifier with recursive feature elimination to select biomarker genes in each module individually. The extracted feature genes result in a gene set of biomarkers with impressing ability to distinguish normal samples from controls. We verify the identified biomarkers in external independent validation datasets. For a proof-of-concept study, we apply the framework to identify diagnostic biomarkers of breast cancer. The identified biomarkers obtain a maximum AUC of 0.985 in the internal sample classification experiments. And these biomarkers achieve a maximum AUC of 0.989 in the external validations. Conclusion In conclusion, network rewiring reveals significant differences between different phenotypes, which indicating cancer dysfunctional mechanisms. With the development of sequencing technology, the amount and quality of gene expression data become available. Condition-specific gene regulatory networks that are close to the real regulations in different states will be established. Revealing the network rewiring will greatly benefit the discovery of biomarkers or signatures for phenotypes. D-GRN is a general method to meet this demand of deciphering the high-throughput data for biomarker discovery. It is also easy to be extended for identifying biomarkers of other complex diseases beyond breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijuan Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Control Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, Shandong, China
| | - Zhi-Ping Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Control Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, Shandong, China.
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22
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Guo DZ, Huang A, Wang YP, Cao Y, Fan J, Yang XR, Zhou J. Development of an Eight-gene Prognostic Model for Overall Survival Prediction in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Clin Transl Hepatol 2021; 9:898-908. [PMID: 34966653 PMCID: PMC8666363 DOI: 10.14218/jcth.2020.00152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The overall survival (OS) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains dismal. Bioinformatic analysis of transcriptome data could identify patients with poor OS and may facilitate clinical decision. This study aimed to develop a prognostic gene model for HCC. METHODS GSE14520 was retrieved as a training set to identify differential expressed genes (DEGs) between tumor and adjacent liver tissues in HCC patients with different OS. A DEG-based prognostic model was then constructed and the TCGA-LIHC and ICGC-LIRI datasets were used to validate the model. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and hazard ratio (HR) of the model for OS were calculated. A model-based nomogram was established and verified. RESULTS In the training set, differential expression analysis identified 80 genes dysregulated in oxidation-reduction and metabolism regulation. After univariate Cox and LASSO regression, eight genes (LPCAT1, DHRS1, SORBS2, ALDH5A1, SULT1C2, SPP1, HEY1 and GOLM1) were selected to build the prognostic model. The AUC for 1-, 3- and 5-year OS were 0.779, 0.736, 0.754 in training set and 0.693, 0.689, 0.693 in the TCGA-LIHC validation set, respectively. The AUC for 1- and 3-year OS were 0.767 and 0.705 in the ICGC-LIRI validation set. Multivariate analysis confirmed the model was an independent prognostic factor (training set: HR=4.422, p<0.001; TCGA-LIHC validation set: HR=2.561, p<0.001; ICGC-LIRI validation set: HR=3.931, p<0.001). Furthermore, a nomogram combining the model and AJCC stage was established and validated, showing increased OS predictive efficacy compared with the prognostic model (p=0.035) or AJCC stage (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Our eight-gene prognostic model and the related nomogram represent as reliable prognostic tools for OS prediction in HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- De-Zhen Guo
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ao Huang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu-Peng Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya Cao
- Cancer Research Institute, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jia Fan
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin-Rong Yang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Correspondence to: Jian Zhou and Xin-Rong Yang, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 136 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai 200032, China. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2118-1117 (JZ), https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2716-9338 (XRY). Tel: +86-21-64041990, Fax: +86-21-64037181, E-mail: (JZ) or (XRY)
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Fudan University), Ministry of Education; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Correspondence to: Jian Zhou and Xin-Rong Yang, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 136 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai 200032, China. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2118-1117 (JZ), https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2716-9338 (XRY). Tel: +86-21-64041990, Fax: +86-21-64037181, E-mail: (JZ) or (XRY)
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Zhang G, Su L, Lv X, Yang Q. A novel tumor doubling time-related immune gene signature for prognosis prediction in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:522. [PMID: 34627241 PMCID: PMC8502295 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02227-w] [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: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become a global health issue of wide concern due to its high prevalence and poor therapeutic efficacy. Both tumor doubling time (TDT) and immune status are closely related to the prognosis of HCC patients. However, the association between TDT-related genes (TDTRGs) and immune-related genes (IRGs) and the value of their combination in predicting the prognosis of HCC patients remains unclear. The current study aimed to discover reliable biomarkers for anticipating the future prognosis of HCC patients based on the relationship between TDTRGs and IRGs. Methods Tumor doubling time-related genes (TDTRGs) were acquired from GSE54236 by using Pearson correlation test and immune-related genes (IRGs) were available from ImmPort. Prognostic TDTRGs and IRGs in TCGA-LIHC dataset were determined to create a prognostic model by the LASSO-Cox regression and stepwise Cox regression analysis. International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and another cohort of individual clinical samples acted as external validations. Additionally, significant impacts of the signature on HCC immune microenvironment and reaction to immune checkpoint inhibitors were observed. Results Among the 68 overlapping genes identified as TDTRG and IRG, a total of 29 genes had significant prognostic relevance and were further selected by performing a LASSO-Cox regression model based on the minimum value of λ. Subsequently, a prognostic three-gene signature including HECT domain and ankyrin repeat containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1 (HACE1), C-type lectin domain family 1 member B (CLEC1B), and Collectin sub-family member 12 (COLEC12) was finally identified by stepwise Cox proportional modeling. The signature exhibited superior accuracy in forecasting the survival outcomes of HCC patients in TCGA, ICGC and the independent clinical cohorts. Patients in high-risk subgroup had significantly increased levels of immune checkpoint molecules including PD-L1, CD276, CTLA4, CXCR4, IL1A, PD-L2, TGFB1, OX40 and CD137, and are therefore more sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) treatment. Finally, we first found that overexpression of CLEC1B inhibited the proliferation and migration ability of HuH7 cells. Conclusions In summary, the prognostic signature based on TDTRGs and IRGs could effectively help clinicians classify HCC patients for prognosis prediction and individualized immunotherapies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02227-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genhao Zhang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Lisa Su
- Department of Genetic and Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xianping Lv
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qiankun Yang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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Su L, Zhang G, Kong X. A Novel Five-Gene Signature for Prognosis Prediction in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:642563. [PMID: 34336648 PMCID: PMC8322700 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.642563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been a global health issue and attracted wide attention due to its high incidence and poor outcomes. In this study, our purpose was to explore an effective prognostic marker for HCC. Five cohort profile datasets from GEO (GSE25097, GSE36376, GSE62232, GSE76427 and GSE101685) were integrated with TCGA-LIHC and GTEx dataset to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between normal and cancer tissues in HCC patients, then 5 upregulated differentially expressed genes and 32 downregulated DEGs were identified as common DEGs in total. Next, we systematically explored the relationship between the expression of 37 common DEGs in tumor tissues and overall survival (OS) rate of HCC patients in TCGA and constructed a novel prognostic model composed of five genes (AURKA, PZP, RACGAP1, ACOT12 and LCAT). Furthermore, the predicted performance of the five-gene signature was verified in ICGC and another independent clinical samples cohort, and the results demonstrated that the signature performed well in predicting the OS rate of patients with HCC. What is more, the signature was an independent hazard factor for HCC patients when considering other clinical factors in the three cohorts. Finally, we found the signature was significantly associated with HCC immune microenvironment. In conclusion, the prognostic five-gene signature identified in our present study could efficiently classify patients with HCC into subgroups with low and high risk of longer overall survival time and help clinicians make decisions for individualized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Su
- Department of Genetic and Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Genhao Zhang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiangdong Kong
- Department of Genetic and Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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25
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Identification of Multiple Hub Genes and Pathways in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Bioinformatics Analysis. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:8849415. [PMID: 34337056 PMCID: PMC8292096 DOI: 10.1155/2021/8849415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor of the digestive system, and its early asymptomatic characteristic increases the difficulty of diagnosis and treatment. This study is aimed at obtaining some novel biomarkers with diagnostic and prognostic meaning and may find out potential therapeutic targets for HCC. We screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from the HCC gene expression profile GSE14520 using GEO2R. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis were conducted by using the clusterProfiler software while a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was performed based on the STRING database. Then, prognosis analysis of hub genes was conducted using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was utilized to further verify the expression of hub genes and explore the correlation between gene expression and clinicopathological parameters. A total of 1053 DEGs were captured, containing 497 upregulated genes and 556 downregulated genes. GO and KEGG analysis indicated that the downregulated DEGs were mainly enriched in the fatty acid catabolic process while upregulated DEGs were primarily enriched in the cell cycle. Simultaneously, ten hub genes (CYP3A4, UGT1A6, AOX1, UGT1A4, UGT2B15, CDK1, CCNB1, MAD2L1, CCNB2, and CDC20) were identified by the PPI network. Five prognosis-related hub genes (CYP3A4, CDK1, CCNB1, MAD2L1, and CDC20) were uncovered by the survival analysis based on TCGA database. The ten hub genes were further validated by qRT-PCR using samples obtained from our hospital. The prognosis-related hub genes such as CYP3A4, CDK1, CCNB1, MAD2L1, and CDC20 could be considered potential diagnosis biomarkers and prognosis targets for HCC. We also use Oncomine for further verification, and we found CCNB1, CCNB2, CDK1, and CYP3A4 which were highly expressed in HCC. Meanwhile, CCNB1, CCNB2, and CDK1 are highly expressed in almost all cancer types, which may play an important role in cancer. Still, further functional study should be conducted to explore the underlying mechanism and biological effect in the near future.
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Qiao Y, Pei Y, Luo M, Rajasekaran M, Hui KM, Chen J. Cytokinesis regulators as potential diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for human hepatocellular carcinoma. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:1343-1354. [PMID: 33899543 DOI: 10.1177/15353702211008380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytokinesis, the final step of mitosis, is critical for maintaining the ploidy level of cells. Cytokinesis is a complex, highly regulated process and its failure can lead to genetic instability and apoptosis, contributing to the development of cancer. Human hepatocellular carcinoma is often accompanied by a high frequency of aneuploidy and the DNA ploidy pattern observed in human hepatocellular carcinoma results mostly from impairments in cytokinesis. Many key regulators of cytokinesis are abnormally expressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma, and their expression levels are often correlated with patient prognosis. Moreover, preclinical studies have demonstrated that the inhibition of key cytokinesis regulators can suppress the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma. Here, we provide an overview of the current understanding of the signaling networks regulating cytokinesis, the key cytokinesis regulators involved in the initiation and development of human hepatocellular carcinoma, and their applications as potential diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiting Qiao
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, P. R. China
| | - Yunxin Pei
- Pharmacy Institute and Department of Hepatology, Institute of Hepatology and Metabolic Diseases, Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine for Oncology, The affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, College of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province and Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province, College of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, P. R. China
| | - Miao Luo
- Pharmacy Institute and Department of Hepatology, Institute of Hepatology and Metabolic Diseases, Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine for Oncology, The affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, College of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province and Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province, College of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, P. R. China
| | - Muthukumar Rajasekaran
- Laboratory of Cancer Genomics, Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore 169610, Singapore
| | - Kam M Hui
- Pharmacy Institute and Department of Hepatology, Institute of Hepatology and Metabolic Diseases, Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine for Oncology, The affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, College of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province and Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province, College of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, P. R. China.,Laboratory of Cancer Genomics, Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore 169610, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore.,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore 138673, Singapore.,Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Jianxiang Chen
- Pharmacy Institute and Department of Hepatology, Institute of Hepatology and Metabolic Diseases, Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine for Oncology, The affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, College of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province and Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province, College of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, P. R. China.,Laboratory of Cancer Genomics, Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore 169610, Singapore
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Exploration and validation of a novel prognostic signature based on comprehensive bioinformatics analysis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Biosci Rep 2021; 40:226788. [PMID: 33111935 PMCID: PMC7670566 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20203263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to construct a novel signature for indicating the prognostic outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Gene expression profiles were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases. The prognosis-related genes with differential expression were identified with weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), univariate analysis, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). With the stepwise regression analysis, a risk score was constructed based on the expression levels of five genes: Risk score = (−0.7736* CCNB2) + (1.0083* DYNC1LI1) + (−0.6755* KIF11) + (0.9588* SPC25) + (1.5237* KIF18A), which can be applied as a signature for predicting the prognosis of HCC patients. The prediction capacity of the risk score for overall survival was validated with both TCGA and ICGC cohorts. The 1-, 3- and 5-year ROC curves were plotted, in which the AUC was 0.842, 0.726 and 0.699 in TCGA cohort and 0.734, 0.691 and 0.700 in ICGC cohort, respectively. Moreover, the expression levels of the five genes were determined in clinical tumor and normal specimens with immunohistochemistry. The novel signature has exhibited good prediction efficacy for the overall survival of HCC patients.
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Yang H, Huo J, Li X. Identification and validation of a five-gene prognostic signature for hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Surg Oncol 2021; 19:90. [PMID: 33771191 PMCID: PMC8004398 DOI: 10.1186/s12957-021-02202-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND ARID1A is a commonly mutated tumor suppressor gene found in all human cancer types, but its clinical significance, oncogenic functions, and relevant mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not well understood. OBJECTIVE We aimed to improving the prognosis risk classification of HCC from the perspective of ARID1A mutations. MATERIALS AND METHODS We examined the interaction between ARID1A mutations and the overall survival via Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. We used gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) to elucidate the influence of ARID1A mutations on signaling pathways. A prognostic model was constructed using LASSO and multivariate Cox regression analyses. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to estimate the performance and accuracy of the model. RESULTS HCC patients with ARID1A mutations presented poor prognosis. By GSEA, we showed that genes upregulated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and regulated by MYC were positively correlated with ARID1A mutations. A prognostic signature consisting of 5 genes (SRXN1, LDHA, TFDP1, PPM1G, and EIF2S1) was constructed in our research. The signature showed good performance in predicting overall survival (OS) for HCC patients by internal and external validation. CONCLUSION Our research proposed a novel and robust approach for the prognostic risk classification of HCC patients, and this approach may provide new insights to improve the treatment strategy of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huibin Yang
- Qingdao University, No. 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266071 China
| | - Junyu Huo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Qingdao Municipal Hospital of Qingdao University, No.1 Jiaozhou Road, Shibei District, Qingdao City, 266011 Shandong Province China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Qingdao Municipal Hospital of Qingdao University, No.1 Jiaozhou Road, Shibei District, Qingdao City, 266011 Shandong Province China
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Construction and Validation of a Prognostic Gene-Based Model for Overall Survival Prediction in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using an Integrated Statistical and Bioinformatic Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041632. [PMID: 33562824 PMCID: PMC7915780 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common lethal cancers worldwide and is often related to late diagnosis and poor survival outcome. More evidence is demonstrating that gene-based prognostic models can be used to predict high-risk HCC patients. Therefore, our study aimed to construct a novel prognostic model for predicting the prognosis of HCC patients. We used multivariate Cox regression model with three hybrid penalties approach including least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso), adaptive lasso and elastic net algorithms for informative prognostic-related genes selection. Then, the best subset regression was used to identify the best prognostic gene signature. The prognostic gene-based risk score was constructed using the Cox coefficient of the prognostic gene signature. The model was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier (KM) and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses. A novel four-gene signature associated with prognosis was identified and the risk score was constructed based on the four-gene signature. The risk score efficiently distinguished the patients into a high-risk group with poor prognosis. The time-dependent ROC analysis revealed that the risk model had a good performance with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.780, 0.732, 0.733 in 1-, 2- and 3-year prognosis prediction in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. Moreover, the risk score revealed a high diagnostic performance to classify HCC from normal samples. The prognosis and diagnosis prediction performances of risk scores were verified in external validation datasets. Functional enrichment analysis of the four-gene signature and its co-expressed genes involved in the metabolic and cell cycle pathways was constructed. Overall, we developed a novel-gene-based prognostic model to predict high-risk HCC patients and we hope that our findings can provide promising insight to explore the role of the four-gene signature in HCC patients and aid risk classification.
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Nia A, Dhanasekaran R. Genomic Landscape of HCC. CURRENT HEPATOLOGY REPORTS 2020; 19:448-461. [PMID: 33816052 PMCID: PMC8015384 DOI: 10.1007/s11901-020-00553-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer related mortality in the world and it has limited treatment options. Understanding the molecular drivers of HCC is important to develop novel biomarkers and therapeutics. PURPOSE OF REVIEW HCC arises in a complex background of chronic hepatitis, fibrosis and liver regeneration which lead to genomic changes. Here, we summarize studies that have expanded our understanding of the molecular landscape of HCC. RECENT FINDINGS Recent technological advances in next generation sequencing (NGS) have elucidated specific genetic and molecular programs involved in hepatocarcinogenesis. We summarize the major somatic mutations and epigenetic changes have been identified in NGS-based studies. We also describe promising molecular therapies and immunotherapies which target specific genetic and epigenetic molecular events. SUMMARY The genomic landscape of HCC is incredibly complex and heterogeneous. Promising new developments are helping us decipher the molecular drivers of HCC and leading to new therapies.
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Du Y, Gao Y. Development and validation of a novel pseudogene pair-based prognostic signature for prediction of overall survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:887. [PMID: 32938429 PMCID: PMC7493157 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07391-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is growing evidence that pseudogenes may serve as prognostic biomarkers in several cancers. The present study was designed to develop and validate an accurate and robust pseudogene pairs-based signature for the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS RNA-sequencing data from 374 HCC patients with clinical follow-up information were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and used in this study. Survival-related pseudogene pairs were identified, and a signature model was constructed by Cox regression analysis (univariate and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator). All individuals were classified into high- and low-risk groups based on the optimal cutoff. Subgroups analysis of the novel signature was conducted and validated in an independent cohort. Pearson correlation analyses were carried out between the included pseudogenes and the protein-coding genes based on their expression levels. Enrichment analysis was performed to predict the possible role of the pseudogenes identified in the signature. RESULTS A 19-pseudogene pair signature, which included 21 pseudogenes, was established. Patients in high-risk group demonstrated an increased the risk of adverse prognosis in the TCGA cohort and the external cohort (all P < 0.001). The novel pseudogene signature was independent of other conventional clinical variables used for survival prediction in HCC patients in the two cohorts revealed by the multivariate Cox regression analysis (all P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis further demonstrated the diagnostic value of the signature across different stages, grades, sexes, and age groups. The C-index of the prognostic signature was 0.761, which was not only higher than that of several previous risk models but was also much higher than that of a single age, sex, grade, and stage risk model. Furthermore, functional analysis revealed that the potential biological mechanisms mediated by these pseudogenes are primarily involved in cytokine receptor activity, T cell receptor signaling, chemokine signaling, NF-κB signaling, PD-L1 expression, and the PD-1 checkpoint pathway in cancer. CONCLUSION The novel proposed and validated pseudogene pair-based signature may serve as a valuable independent prognostic predictor for predicting survival of patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajuan Du
- Department of structural heart disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.277, Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ying Gao
- Department of Radiotherapy Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China
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Kang C, Jia X, Liu H. Development and validation of a RNA binding protein gene pair-associated prognostic signature for prediction of overall survival in hepatocellular carcinoma. Biomed Eng Online 2020; 19:68. [PMID: 32873282 PMCID: PMC7461748 DOI: 10.1186/s12938-020-00812-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Increasing evidence has demonstrated the correlation between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis and RNA binding proteins (RBPs) dysregulation. Thus, we aimed to develop and validate a reliable prognostic signature that can estimate the prognosis for HCC. Methods Gene expression profiling and clinical information of 374 HCC patients were derived from the TCGA data portal. The survival-related RBP pairs were determined using univariate cox-regression analysis and the signature was built based on LASSO analysis. All patients were divided patients into high-and low-risk groups according to the optimal cut off of the signature score determined by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The predictive value of the signature was further validated in an independent cohort. Results A 37-RBP pairs signature consisting of 61 unique genes was constructed which was significantly associated with the survival. The RBP-related signature accurately predicted the prognosis of HCC patients, and patients in high-risk groups showed poor survival in two cohorts. The novel signature was an independent prognostic factor of HCC in two cohorts (all P < 0.001). Furthermore, the C-index of the prognostic model was 0.799, which was higher than that of many established risk models. Pathway and process enrichment analysis showed that the 61 unique genes were mainly enriched in translation, ncRNA metabolic process, RNA splicing, RNA modification, and translational termination. Conclusion The novel proposed RBP-related signature based on relative expression orderings could serve as a promising independent prognostic biomarker for patients with HCC, and could improve the individualized survival prediction in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunmiao Kang
- Department of Ultrasound, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, 710068, China
| | - Xuanhui Jia
- Department of Ultrasound, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, 710068, China
| | - Hongsheng Liu
- Department of Radiology, Xi'an Central Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 161, Xiwu Road, Xincheng District, Xi'an, 710003, Shaanxi, PR China.
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