Journal Article

The prognostic value of the GPAT/AGPAT gene family in hepatocellular carcinoma and its role in the tumor immune microenvironment

Ouyang, Wanxin, Liu, Yuan, Zhang, Shuaishuai, Yuan, Yixin, Peng, Zhihai, Wen, Peizhen, Xing, Yiqun, Wang, Rui

2023

Overview

Liver cancer is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for an estimated 90% of all liver cancers. Many enzymes of the GPAT/AGPAT family are required for the synthesis of triacylglycerol. Expression of AGPAT isoenzymes has been reported to be associated with an increased risk of tumorigenesis or development of aggressive phenotypes in a variety of cancers. However, whether members of the GPAT/AGPAT gene family also influence the pathophysiology of HCC is unknown. Hepatocellular carcinoma datasets were obtained from the TCGA and ICGC databases. Predictive models related to the GPAT/AGPAT gene family were constructed based on LASSO-Cox regression using the ICGC-LIRI dataset as an external validation cohort. Seven immune cell infiltration algorithms were used to analyze immune cell infiltration patterns in different risk groups. IHC, CCK-8, Transwell assay, and Western blotting were used for in vitro validation. Compared with low-risk patients, high-risk patients had shorter survival and higher risk scores. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that risk score was a significant independent predictor of overall survival (OS) after adjustment for confounding clinical factors (p < 0.001). The established nomogram combined risk score and TNM staging to accurately predict survival at 1, 3, and 5 years in patients with HCC with AUC values of 0.807, 0.806, and 0.795, respectively. This risk score improved the reliability of the nomogram and guided clinical decision-making. In addition, we comprehensively analyzed immune cell infiltration (using seven algorithms), response to immune checkpoint blockade, clinical relevance, survival, mutations, mRNA expression-based stemness index, signaling pathways, and interacting proteins related to the three core genes of the prognostic model (AGPAT5, LCLAT1, and LPCAT1). We also performed preliminary validation of the differential expression, oncological phenotype, and potential downstream pathways of the three core genes by IHC, CCK-8, Transwell assay, and Western blotting. These results improve our understanding of the function of GPAT/AGPAT gene family members and provide a reference for prognostic biomarker research and individualized treatment of HCC.

• Publisher: Frontiers Media SA,Frontiers Media S.A
• Subject: 1-Acylglycerol-3-Phosphate O-Acyltransferase - genetics / Algorithms / Antigens / Biomarkers / Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - genetics / Cholecystokinin / Decision making / Enzymes / Gene expression / Genomics / Glycerol-3-Phosphate O-Acyltransferase - genetics / GPAT/AGPAT / HCC / Hepatocellular carcinoma / Humans / Immune checkpoint inhibitors / immune infiltration / Immunohistochemistry / Immunology / Infiltration / Isoenzymes / LASSO-Cox analysis / Liver cancer / Liver Neoplasms - genetics / Mann-Whitney U test / Medical prognosis / Metabolism / Metastases / Microenvironments / Mutation / nomogram / Nomograms / Patients / Phenotypes / Prediction models / Prognosis / Proteins / Regression analysis / Reproducibility of Results / Risk groups / Sensitivity analysis / Sincalide / Survival analysis / Tumor Microenvironment - genetics / Tumorigenesis / Western blotting