Abstract
BackgroundHead and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common tumor in human. Research has shown that HPV status HNSCC is a unique prognosis factor, which may due to its immune infiltration landscape. But the underlying mechanism is unclear.MethodsIn this study, we used a combination of several bioinformatics tools, including WCGNA, ssGSEA, CIBERSORT, TIDE,etc., to explore significant genes both related to HPV infection status and immune cell infiltration in HNSCC patients.ResultsCombined with several bioinformatics algorithms, eight hub genes were identified, including LTB, CD19, CD3D, SKAP1, KLRB1, CCL19, TBC1D10C and ARHGAP4. In HNSCC population, the hub genes had a stable co-expression, which was related to immune cell infiltration, especially CD8+ T cells, and the infiltrative immune cells were in a dysfunctional status. Samples with high hub genes expression presented with better response to immune check point block (ICB) therapy and sensitivity to bleomycin and methotrexate.ConclusionsThe eight hub genes we found presented with a stable co-expression in immune cell infiltration of HPV + ve HNSCC population. The co-expression of hub genes related to an immune microenvironment featuring an increase in immune cells but high degree of immune dysfunction status. Patients with high hub gene expression had a better response to ICB treatment, bleomycin and methotrexate. The co-expression of hub genes may be related to immune infiltration status in patients. The concrete molecular mechanism of hub genes function demands further exploration.
Highlights
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common tumor in human
We found that in the HNSCC population, the hub genes had a stable co-expression, which was related to immune cell infiltration, especially CD8+ T cells, and the infiltrative cells were in a dysfunctional status, which had corresponded with several previous studies [23, 24]
The co-expression of hub genes related to an immune microenvironment featuring an increase in immune cells, especially CD8+ T cells, but high degree of immune dysfunction status
Summary
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common tumor in human. Research has shown that HPV status HNSCC is a unique prognosis factor, which may due to its immune infiltration landscape. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common tumor in human [1], numbering eighth in the list of causes of tumor-related death [2] and accounting for over 500,000 new cases each year worldwide [3, 4]. Previous studies have demonstrated that immune system plays a significant role in the development of HNSC C [5], and there are significant differences in the composition of tumor microenvironment (TME) [14,15,16] between HPV-infected and non-HPV-infected HNSCC. Immune landscape and its interaction with HPV status is still unclear
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