Objective To investigate the role of ATP citrate lyase(ACLY)in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and the impact of this enzyme on the immune microenvironment of HCC.Methods We utilized the University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer Data Analysis Portal and the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis to identify the changes in ACLY expression and prognosis across different tumor types from The Cancer Genome Atlas.With HCC as the disease model,we analyzed the ACLY expression in HCC samples from the gene expression database.Furthermore,we collected the clinical specimens from HCC patients to verify the mRNA and protein levels of ACLY.In addition,we conducted transcriptome sequencing after knocking down the expression of ACLY to analyze the differentially expressed genes and investigated the impact of ACLY expression interference on cell proliferation and other functions.Finally,we explored the correlations of ACLY with immune cells and immune infiltration in the tumor microenvironment,new antigens,and immune checkpoint genes.Results ACLY expression was significantly up-regulated in solid tumors including HCC(all P<0.05),and high ACLY expression was associated with overall survival rate in HCC(P=0.005).Furthermore,high ACLY expression affected the presence of immune cells(e.g.,tumor-associated fibroblasts)and the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism(all P<0.05).Conclusions ACLY is closely related to the occurrence and development of HCC and lipid metabolism abnormalities.Moreover,it has a specific impact on the immune microenvironment of HCC.
目的 探究ATP柠檬酸裂合酶(ACLY)在肝细胞癌(HCC)发生发展中的作用及其对HCC免疫微环境的影响。方法 采用美国阿拉巴马大学伯明翰分校癌症数据分析网站和肿瘤基因表达谱交互分析数据库在线检索ACLY在癌症基因组图谱数据库收录的不同肿瘤中的表达情况和预后改变,选取HCC为疾病模型,分析ACLY在基因表达数据库HCC标本中的表达情况,并采集HCC患者临床标本在mRNA、蛋白水平进行表达验证;同时在细胞水平敲减ACLY,并利用转录组测序分析差异表达基因,进行细胞增殖实验等功能验证;探讨ACLY与肿瘤微环境中免疫细胞及免疫浸润的相关性,以及与免疫新抗原、免疫检查点基因的相关性。结果 ACLY基因在包括HCC在内的多种实体瘤中高表达(P均<0.05),且ACLY高表达与HCC的总体存活率具有显著相关性(P=0.005)。ACLY的高表达可影响包括肿瘤相关成纤维细胞在内的多种免疫细胞的数量以及脂代谢基因的表达(P均<0.05)。结论 ACLY与HCC的发生发展及脂代谢异常密切相关,并对HCC的免疫微环境造成一定程度的影响。.
Keywords: ATP citrate lyase; hepatocellular carcinoma; prognosis; transcriptome sequencing; tumor microenvironment.