Abstract
Background: In recent years, the annual incidence of thyroid cancer (TC) has increased, with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) identified as the most commonwinwordpathological type accounting for approximately 80% of all thyroid cancer cases. The tumor microenvironment is known to play a vital role in tumor information transmission and immune detection.Methods: In the present study, we examined gene expression data from 518 patients with PTC. The ESTIMATE algorithm was used to calculate immune and stromal scores of PTC patients. Based on a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, functional enrichment and overall survival analyses, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) was identified as a core gene. We further investigated the roles of core genes of PTC in the tumor immune microenvironment using LinkedOmics, GSEA, and TIMER tools.Results: Immune, stromal and ESTIMATE scores were related to clinicopathological variables of patients with PTC, but not survival outcomes. Eight differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were associated with survival outcome. In addition, immunochemical staining experiments revealed lower expression of CXCL10 in PTC than paracancerous tissues. GSEA pathway enrichment analysis revealed downregulation of CXCL10 in multiple cancer pathways. CXCL10 and related genes were enriched in pathways related to adaptive immune response, cellular defense response and regulation of innate immune response.Conclusion: The tumor microenvironment plays a critical role in development of PTC and CXCL10 may serve as a novel target of precision therapy for this patient population.
Highlights
Thyroid cancer is the most common malignancy of the human endocrine system, accounting for ∼3% of the total incidence of systemic malignant tumors, and one of the fastest growing malignant solid tumors
The tumor immune microenvironment is known to play a critical role in the evolution of malignancy and related to various biological behaviors of cancer, affecting tumor growth and spread
Biomarkers related to prognosis and treatment in the microenvironment of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) were identified
Summary
Thyroid cancer is the most common malignancy of the human endocrine system, accounting for ∼3% of the total incidence of systemic malignant tumors, and one of the fastest growing malignant solid tumors. Patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma commonly develop lymph node metastasis at an early stage of disease with an incidence of 30–40%, leading to a 50% decrease in the 10-year survival rate [4,5,6]. The annual incidence of thyroid cancer (TC) has increased, with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) identified as the most commonwinwordpathological type accounting for approximately 80% of all thyroid cancer cases. We further investigated the roles of core genes of PTC in the tumor immune microenvironment using LinkedOmics, GSEA, and TIMER tools. Results: Immune, stromal and ESTIMATE scores were related to clinicopathological variables of patients with PTC, but not survival outcomes. Conclusion: The tumor microenvironment plays a critical role in development of PTC and CXCL10 may serve as a novel target of precision therapy for this patient population
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
