A neural-related gene risk score for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

This study aimed to establish a neural-related gene risk score (NRGRS) for the prediction of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma prognosis and explore its predictive value on the benefit of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

METHODS:

Based on the transcriptome data of HNSCC patients (n = 546) from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, 37 neural-related hub genes were identified by weighted gene co-expression network analysis. Four genes (ITGA5, PYGM, GNG7 and ATP2A3) were identified to construct NRGRS using Lasso-Cox regression method based on the derivation cohort and validated in the Gene Expression Omnibus cohort (n = 109). The survival analysis was performed to validate the prognostic value of NRGRS and immune characteristics in NRGRS-defined subgroups were analyzed.

RESULTS:

NRGRS-high patients had a worse overall survival than NRGRS-low patients. Tumors with high NRGRS were more likely to have high infiltration of naive CD4+ T cells, M0, M2 macrophages and resting mast cells, which illustrated suppressive immunity and less benefit from immunotherapy therapy.

CONCLUSION:

NRGRS strongly correlates with survival and is a promising biomarker to predict immunotherapy benefits for head and neck cancer patients. This study provides evidence for the potential correlation between neural-related transcriptome alteration and immune activity.

• Authors: Zhuo-Ying Tao, Wei-Fa Yang, Wang-Yong Zhu, Lei-Lei Wang, Kar Yan Li, Xin-Yuan Guan, Yu-Xiong Su
• Journal: Oral diseases (Oral Dis) Vol. 30 Issue 2 Pg. 477-491 (Mar 2024) ISSN: 1601-0825 [Electronic] Denmark
• PMID: 36346196 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. Oral Diseases published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Topics

• Humans
• Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck (genetics)
• Gene Expression Profiling
• Genetic Risk Score
• Macrophages
• Head and Neck Neoplasms (genetics)
• Prognosis