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Li Q, Chen W, Li Q, Mao J, Chen X. A novel neutrophil extracellular trap signature to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1019967. [PMID: 36225931 PMCID: PMC9549764 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1019967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common malignant cancers, and patients with HNSCC possess early metastases and poor prognosis. Systematic therapies (including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy) are generally applied in the advanced/late stages of HNSCC, but primary and acquired resistance eventually occurs. At present, reliable biomarkers to predict the prognosis of HNSCC have not been completely identified. Recent studies have shown that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are implicated in cancer progression, metastasis and cancer immune response, and NET-related gene signatures are associated with the prognosis of patients with several human cancers. To explore whether NET-related genes play crucial roles in HNSCC, we have performed systematic analysis and reported several findings in the current study. Firstly, we identified seven novel NET-related genes and developed a NET-score signature, which was highly associated with the clinicopathological and immune traits of the HNSCC patients. Then, we, for the first time, found that NIFK was significantly upregulated in HNSCC patient samples, and its levels were significantly linked to tumor malignancy and immune status. Moreover, functional experiments confirmed that NIFK was required for HNSCC cell proliferation and metastasis. Altogether, this study has identified a novel NET-score signature based on seven novel NET-related genes to predict the prognosis of HNSCC and NIFK has also explored a new method for personalized chemo-/immuno-therapy of HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qilin Li
- Department of Stomatology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- School of Stomatology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Development and Regeneration, Wuhan, China
| | - Weimin Chen
- Department of Stomatology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- School of Stomatology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Development and Regeneration, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiuhui Li
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) and Key Laboratory for Oral Biomedicine of Ministry of Education, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Xin Chen, ; Qiuhui Li, ; Jing Mao,
| | - Jing Mao
- Department of Stomatology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- School of Stomatology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Development and Regeneration, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Xin Chen, ; Qiuhui Li, ; Jing Mao,
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical School, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Xin Chen, ; Qiuhui Li, ; Jing Mao,
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