Identification and Verification of Potential Ferroptosis-Related Biomarkers in Cervical Cancer

Abstract

This study screened important genes contributing to morbidity from differential ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) in cervical cancer and to establish a risk assessment model with ferroptosis-related LncRNAs. Total RNA sequencing data were extracted from The cancer genome atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx). By differential analysis, we identified ferroptosis-related hub genes close to prevalence of cervical cancer. According to receiver operator curves (ROC) curves, hub genes have good diagnostic performance. The diagnostic potential of hub genes for occurrence of the disease was further assessed and verified. Further, a risk-assessing model based on ferroptosis-related LncRNAs was established. Finally, the differential expressions of hub genes were verified through qRT-PCR. Five hub genes were identified, and we found through GO, KEGG and immune infiltration, that the hub genes are connection with cervical cancer. The Area Under Curve (AUC) values were all greater than 0.8 in ROC curve, and the hub genes presented differences between disease and control groups in validation set GSE29570. We created a risk assessment model with 16 ferroptosis-related LncRNAs. There was a difference in survival between high-risk and low-risk groups. The AUC result for risk assessment model reached 0.792, and there were significant expression differences of Hub genes in Huvec and Hela cells. The study screened 5 hub genes and constructed the risk-assessment model based on 16 LncRNAs associated with ferroptosis genes.