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Discover Oncology
Published in: Discover Oncology 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Research

The genes regulating sensitivity of tumor cells to T cell-mediated killing: could they be potential personalized immunotherapeutic targets in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma?

Authors: Shaonan Hu, Heng Duan, Yongtao Lu, Shaohong Huang

Published in: Discover Oncology | Issue 1/2023

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Abstract

Objective

To identify the pivotal genes, specifically the STTK genes, that govern the sensitivity of tumor cells to T cell-mediated killing in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSC).

Methods

The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in HNSC and STTK genes were overlapped to obtain the DE-STTK genes. Univariate and LASSO regression analyses were conducted to identify the pivotal DE-STTK genes that serve as hubs in HNSC (i.e., hub DE-STTK genes). The risk model was established to divide HNSC tumor samples into high- and low-risk groups based on the hub DE-STTK genes. Further investigations were carried out by examing the expression level, prognostic values, diagnostic values, enriched signaling pathways, correlation with tumor mutation burden (TMB), and association with tumor immune infiltration cells (TIICs).

Results

A total of 71 genes were found to be overlapped between DEGs in HNSC and STTK genes. Lasso regression analysis identified 9 hub genes which were MYF6, AATF, AURKA, CXCL9, DPM2, MYO1B, NCBP2, TNFRSF12A, and TRAF1. The network analysis of hub DE-STTK genes-pathway reveals that these 9 hub genes exhibit enrichment in multiple signaling pathways, including toll-like receptor signaling, TNF signaling, NF-kappa B signaling, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, spliceosome, mRNA surveillance pathway, nucleocytoplasmic transport, GPI-anchor biosynthesis, as well as N-Glycan biosynthesis. The Pearson correlation analysis showed that the majority of correlations between 9 hub DE-STTK genes and immune cells were positive.

Conclusion

The 9 identified hub DE-STTK genes (MYF6, AATF, AURKA, CXCL9, DPM2, MYO1B, NCBP2, TNFRSF12A, and TRAF1) are presumptively implicated in the modulation of tumor immunity in HNSC. These genes, along with their enriched pathways, hold promise as potential personalized immunotherapeutic targets for the treatment of HNSC, thereby offering novel avenues for therapeutic intervention in this malignancy.
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Metadata
Title
The genes regulating sensitivity of tumor cells to T cell-mediated killing: could they be potential personalized immunotherapeutic targets in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma?
Authors
Shaonan Hu
Heng Duan
Yongtao Lu
Shaohong Huang
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Discover Oncology / Issue 1/2023
Print ISSN: 1868-8497
Electronic ISSN: 2730-6011
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-023-00806-z

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