Identification and validation of cuproptosis-related LncRNA signatures as a novel prognostic model for head and neck squamous cell cancer

Xiajing Liu; Wenwei Cheng; Heqing Li; Yexun Song

doi:10.1186/s12935-022-02762-0

Identification and validation of cuproptosis-related LncRNA signatures as a novel prognostic model for head and neck squamous cell cancer

Cancer Cell Int. 2022 Nov 11;22(1):345. doi: 10.1186/s12935-022-02762-0.

Authors

Xiajing Liu^{1

2}, Wenwei Cheng^{3

4}, Heqing Li¹, Yexun Song⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology-Head Neck Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan Province, China.
² Graduate School of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541004, The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.
³ The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan Province, China.
⁴ Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, 410000, Hunan Province, China.
⁵ Department of Otolaryngology-Head Neck Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan Province, China. yexunsongent@csu.edu.cn.

Abstract

Background: Head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) is a common malignant cancer. We aimed to explore prognostic cuproptosis-related lncRNAs (CRLs) and prognostic risk models for HNSCC.

Methods: The transcriptome profiles and clinical data were obtained from the TCGA database, and 19-cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) were acquired from previous studies. Then, the prognostic model based on seven CRLs was established. We analysed its value to evaluate the prognosis, drug sensitivity, and tumour immune functions of patients with HNSCC. Finally, we used quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‒PCR) to validate the seven CRLs.

Results: We established a 7-CRL signature. Kaplan‒Meier (K-M) curve analysis demonstrated a significantly preferable prognosis in the low-risk group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the risk score could serve as an independent prognostic factor. Nomogram, ROC curve, and principal component analysis indicated that the signature presented significant predictive capability. Moreover, most of the high-risk group showed lower levels of IC₅₀ for certain chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin, cytarabine, docetaxel, doxorubicin, etoposide, gemcitabine, methotrexate, paclitaxel, and dasatinib. Finally, the expression of AP001372.2, MIR9-3HG, AL160314.2, POLH-AS1, and AL109936.2 was upregulated, while AC090587.1 and WDFY3-AS2 were downregulated in HNSCC cell lines compared with normal cell lines by qRT‒PCR.

Conclusions: The 7-CRL signature was presented to be a novel biomarker for predicting prognosis for HNSCC.

Keywords: Biomarker; Cuproptosis; Head and neck squamous cell cancer; Prognosis; lncRNA.

Abstract

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