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The following is a summary of “Comprehensive analysis of LD-related genes signature for predicting prognosis and immunotherapy response in clear cell renal cell carcinoma,” published in the September 2024 issue of Nephrology by Jia et al.
Lipid droplets (LD) in renal clear cell carcinoma (ccRCC) regulate lipid metabolism and immune response.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to develop an LD-based signature for predicting prognosis and guiding treatment in patients with ccRCC.
They utilized transcriptional profiles and clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to identify LD-related genes using literature and GeneCards, then performed differential expression analysis. A predictive risk model was developed through Cox and Lasso regression analyses, with its performance evaluated via Kaplan–Meier (KM) analysis and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Tumor microenvironment (TME) and treatment response were assessed using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT, and the immunophenoscore (IPS) algorithm.
The results showed a risk signature with 4 LD-related genes from the TCGA dataset was an independent prognostic factor for patients with ccRCC. Patients were divided into 2 risk groups, showing significant differences in OS, PFS, and TME characteristics. A comprehensive nomogram based on clinical features was developed, exhibiting strong prognostic predictive value, GSEA showed that immune-related pathways were notably enriched in the high-risk group. The high-risk group also had elevated immune cell infiltration, tumor mutational burden (TMB), and IPS scores, suggesting improved immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) efficacy. Furthermore, the high-risk group exhibited lower IC50 values for specific targeted and chemotherapeutic drugs, indicating better treatment outcomes.
Investigators concluded that the LD-related gene signature may predict prognosis and treatment responses in patients with ccRCC, but further validation was required.
Source: bmcnephrol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12882-024-03735-3
