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01-12-2021 | Hepatocellular Carcinoma | Research article

Comprehensive analysis of immune-related prognostic genes in the tumour microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Authors: Weike Gao, Luan Li, Xinyin Han, Siyao Liu, Chengzhen Li, Guanying Yu, Lei Zhang, Dongsheng Zhang, Caiyun Liu, Erhong Meng, Shuai Hong, Dongliang Wang, Peiming Guo, Guangjun Shi

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Background

The mortality rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains high worldwide despite surgery and chemotherapy. Immunotherapy is a promising treatment for the rapidly expanding HCC spectrum. Therefore, it is necessary to further explore the immune-related characteristics of the tumour microenvironment (TME), which plays a vital role in tumour initiation and progression.

Methods

In this research, 866 immune-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by integrating the DEGs of samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-HCC dataset and the immune-related genes from databases (InnateDB; ImmPort). Afterwards, 144 candidate prognostic genes were defined through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA).

Results

Seven immune-related prognostic DEGs were identified using the L1-penalized least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox proportional hazards (PH) model, and the ImmuneRiskScore model was constructed on this basis. The prognostic index of the ImmuneRiskScore model was then validated in the relevant dataset. Patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups according to the ImmuneRiskScore. Differences in the immune cell infiltration of patients with different ImmuneRiskScore values were clarified, and the correlation of immune cell infiltration with immunotherapy biomarkers was further explored.

Conclusion

The ImmuneRiskScore of HCC could be a prognostic marker and can reflect the immune characteristics of the TME. Furthermore, it provides a potential biomarker for predicting the response to immunotherapy in HCC patients.

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Title: Comprehensive analysis of immune-related prognostic genes in the tumour microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Weike Gao
Luan Li
Xinyin Han
Siyao Liu
Chengzhen Li
Guanying Yu
Lei Zhang
Dongsheng Zhang
Caiyun Liu
Erhong Meng
Shuai Hong
Dongliang Wang
Peiming Guo
Guangjun Shi
Publication date: 01-12-2021
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Biomarkers
Published in: BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-021-08052-8

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