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Li X, Wang J, Guo Z, Ma Y, Xu D, Fan D, Dai P, Chen Y, Liu Q, Jiao J, Fan J, Wu N, Li X, Li G. Copper metabolism-related risk score identifies hepatocellular carcinoma subtypes and SLC27A5 as a potential regulator of cuproptosis. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:15084-15113. [PMID: 38157255 PMCID: PMC10781498 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Dysregulated copper metabolism has been noticed in many types of cancer including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, a comprehensive understanding about this dysregulation still remains unclear in HCC. METHODS A set of bioinformatic tools was integrated to analyze the expression and prognostic significance of copper metabolism-related genes. A related risk score, termed as CMscore, was developed via univariate Cox regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression and multivariate Cox regression. Pathway enrichment analyses and tumor immune cell infiltration were further investigated in CMscore stratified HCC patients. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify potential regulator of cuproptosis. RESULTS Copper metabolism was dysregulated in HCC. HCC patients in the high-CMscore group showed a significantly lower overall survival (OS) and enriched in most cancer-related pathways. Besides, HCC patients with high CMscore had higher expression of pro-tumor immune infiltrates and immune checkpoints. Moreover, cancer patients with high CMscore from two large cohorts exhibited significantly prolonged survival time after immunotherapy. WGCNA and subsequently correlation analysis revealed that SLC27A5 might be a potential regulator of cuproptosis in HCC. In vitro experiments revealed that SLC27A5 inhibited cell proliferation and migration of HCC cells and could upregulate FDX1, the key regulator of cuproptosis. SIGNIFICANCE The CMscore is helpful in clustering HCC patients with distinct prognosis, gene mutation signatures, and sensitivity to immunotherapy. SLC27A5 might serve as a potential target in the induction of cuproptosis in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Li
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
- Department of Central Laboratory, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Jinping Wang
- Department of Ultrasound, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Zongliang Guo
- Department of General Surgery, Shanxi Province Cancer Hospital, Affiliated of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Yong Ma
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanxi Province Cancer Hospital, Affiliated of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Dawei Xu
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Daguang Fan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Peng Dai
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Yifan Chen
- College of Management, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qiongwen Liu
- College of Life Science and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, Henan, China
| | - Jinke Jiao
- College of Life Science and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, Henan, China
| | - Jinhan Fan
- College of Life Science and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, Henan, China
| | - Ningxue Wu
- College of Life Science and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, Henan, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Guoyin Li
- College of Life Science and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, Henan, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Center for Teacher Professional Ability Development, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, Shannxi, China
- Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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Zhu T, Ge X, Gong S, Guo S, Tao Q, Guo J, Ma R. Prognostic value of lactate transporter SLC16A1 and SLC16A3 as oncoimmunological biomarkers associating tumor metabolism and immune evasion in glioma. Cancer Innov 2022; 1:229-239. [PMID: 38089757 PMCID: PMC10686114 DOI: 10.1002/cai2.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypoxic microenvironment is immunosuppressive and protumorigenic, and elevated lactate is an intermediary in the modulation of immune responses. However, as critical lactate transporters, the role of SLC16A1 and SLC16A3 in immune infiltration and evasion of glioma is not fully elucidated. METHODS Gene expression in low- and high-grade glioma (LGG and GBM) was evaluated with TCGA database. The TISIDB, TIMER and CIBERSORT databases were utilized for the analysis of the correlation between SLC16A1 or SLC16A3 and immunocyte infiltration as well as immune checkpoints. RESULTS Compared with normal tissues, a significant increase of both SLC16A1 and SLC16A3 was found in LGG and GBM, and closely related to the poor prognosis only in LGG. Cancer SEA indicated that SLC16A1 was involved in hypoxia while SLC16A3 contributed to metastasis and inflammation in glioma. The SLC16A3 expression was significantly correlated with neutrophil activation by GO analysis. TISCH showed the distribution of SLC16A1 on glioma cells and SLC16A3 on immune cells, which was correlated to tumor-associated macrophages and neutrophils that are immunosuppressive. SLC16A1 and SLC16A3 were identified to tightly interacted with diverse immune checkpoints (especially PD1, PD-L1, PD-L2, Tim-3) and immunosuppressive factors (TGF-β and IL-10) in glioma. Furthermore, SLC16A3 had a positive correlation to activation markers of tumor-associated neutrophils and chemokines such as CCL2, CCL22, CXCR2, CXCR4 in LGG and CCL7, CCL20 CXCL8 in GBM, which could enhance infiltration of immunosuppressive cells to the tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSION In general, our results suggest that SLC16A1 and SLC16A3 act as a bridge between tumor metabolism and immunity by promoting immunosuppressive cell infiltration, which contributes to immune evasion and a worse prognosis in glioma. Targeting SLC16A1 and SLC16A3 may provide novel therapeutic strategy for immunotherapy in glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhu
- Department of Radiotherapy and ChemotherapyNingbo First HospitalNingboChina
| | - Xiaoqin Ge
- Department of Radiotherapy and ChemotherapyNingbo First HospitalNingboChina
| | - Shengping Gong
- Department of Radiotherapy and ChemotherapyNingbo First HospitalNingboChina
| | - Shenchao Guo
- Central Laboratory of the Medical Research CenterNingbo First HospitalNingboChina
| | - Qingsong Tao
- Department of Radiotherapy and ChemotherapyNingbo First HospitalNingboChina
| | - Jianxin Guo
- Department of Radiotherapy and ChemotherapyNingbo First HospitalNingboChina
| | - Ruishuang Ma
- Department of Radiotherapy and ChemotherapyNingbo First HospitalNingboChina
- Central Laboratory of the Medical Research CenterNingbo First HospitalNingboChina
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Wang X, Ji C. Construction of a prognostic risk model based on apoptosis-related genes to assess tumor immune microenvironment and predict prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma. BMC Gastroenterol 2022; 22:400. [PMID: 36028814 PMCID: PMC9414141 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-022-02481-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a serious malignant disease with high incidence, high mortality and poor prognosis. This study aimed to establish a novel signature based on apoptosis-related genes (ARGs) to predict the prognosis of HCC. METHODS Expression data of HCC from TCGA database and the list of 160 ARGs from MSigDB were downloaded. The genes included in apoptosis-related signature were selected by univariate Cox regression analysis and lasso Cox regression analysis. Subsequently, a prognostic risk model for scoring patients was developed, and then separates patients into two groups. Kaplan-Meier and receiver operating characteristic analysis were performed to evaluate the prognostic value of the model in TCGA, GEO and ICGC databases. The characteristics of immune cell infiltration between two groups of HCC were investigated. Finally, a nomogram was plotted to visualize the prognosis prediction. RESULTS Nine genes (CDC25B, DAP3, ETF1, GSR, LGALS3, MGMT, PPP2R5B, SQSTM1 and VDAC2) were included in the prognostic risk model. Survival was lower in the high-risk group. Surprisingly, the high-risk group was significantly more in immune cell infiltration and with higher immunoscore and stromalscore than in the low-risk group. In addition, the risk score was an independent prognostic factor for HCC. CONCLUSIONS Prognostic signature comprising nine ARGs could be used as a potential prognostic factor for HCC. It also provides an important idea for further understanding the immunotherapy of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiqin Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 215, Heping West Road, Shijiazhuang, 050000, Hebei, China.,Internal Medicine, Yuhua Yunfang Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Clinic, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Chenguang Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 215, Heping West Road, Shijiazhuang, 050000, Hebei, China.
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Yao Z, Wen S, Luo J, Hao W, Liang W, Chen Y. Establishment and Validation of an MTORC1 Signaling-Related Gene Signature to Predict Overall Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Biomed Res Int 2021; 2021:6299472. [PMID: 34853791 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6299472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background Accurate and effective biomarkers for the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are poorly identified. A network-based gene signature may serve as a valuable biomarker to improve the accuracy of risk discrimination in patients. Methods The expression levels of cancer hallmarks were determined by Cox regression analysis. Various bioinformatic methods, such as GSEA, WGCNA, and LASSO, and statistical approaches were applied to generate an MTORC1 signaling-related gene signature (MSRS). Moreover, a decision tree and nomogram were constructed to aid in the quantification of risk levels for each HCC patient. Results Active MTORC1 signaling was found to be the most vital predictor of overall survival in HCC patients in the training cohort. MSRS was established and proved to hold the capacity to stratify HCC patients with poor outcomes in two validated datasets. Analysis of the patient MSRS levels and patient survival data suggested that the MSRS can be a valuable risk factor in two validated datasets and the integrated cohort. Finally, we constructed a decision tree which allowed to distinguish subclasses of patients at high risk and a nomogram which could accurately predict the survival of individuals. Conclusions The present study may contribute to the improvement of current prognostic systems for patients with HCC.
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