The linkage of NF-κB signaling pathway-associated long non-coding RNAs with tumor microenvironment and prognosis in cervical cancer

摘要

Background NF-.B signaling pathway participate closely in regulating inflammation and immune response in many cancers. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) associated with NF-.B signaling have not been characterized in cervical cancer. This study revealed the linkage between tumor microenvironment and NF-.B signaling-associated lncRNAs in cervical cancer. @@@ Materials and methods The expression profiles of cervical cancer samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas ( TCGA) database were downloaded. NF-.B signaling-associated lncRNAs were screened as a basis to perform molecular subtyping. Immune cell infiltration was assessed by ESTIMATE, Microenvironment Cell Populations (MCP)-counter and single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). The key NF-.B signaling-associated lncRNAs were identified by univariate analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, and stepAIC. @@@ Results Three molecular subtypes or clusters (cluster 3, cluster 2, and cluster 1) were categorized based on 27 prognostic NF-.B signaling-associated lncRNAs. Cluster 2 had the worst prognosis, highest immune infiltration, as well as the highest expression of most of immune checkpoints. Three clusters showed different sensitivities to immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Six key NF-.B signaling-associated lncRNAs were screened to establish a six-lncRNA risk model for predicting cervical cancer prognosis. @@@ Conclusions NF-.B signaling-associated lncRNAs played an important role in regulating immune microenvironment. The subtyping based on NF-.B signaling-associated lncRNAs may assist in the selection of optimal treatments. The six key NF-.B signaling-associated lncRNAs could act as prognostic biomarkers in prognostic prediction for cervical cancer.

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