Pyroptosis-Mediated Molecular Subtypes and Tumor Microenvironment Infiltration Characterization in Colon Cancer

Abstract

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The role of pyroptosis, which is also a kind of cell-intrinsic death mechanism, in tumorigenesis and cancer progression has been revolutionized. However, the expression of pyroptosis-related genes (PYGs) in colon cancer (CC) and their prognostic value remain unclear. In this study, we comprehensively identified two PYG-mediated molecular subtypes with a distinct tumor microenvironment (TME) in 1,415 CC samples, which were based on 10 PYGs. The six-gene signature (pyroptosis score, PY-score) was constructed to quantify the molecular patterns of individual tumors using a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)–Cox regression model through the differentially expressed genes between the two molecular subtypes. Significant infiltration of activated immune cells (such as M1 macrophages and cytotoxic T cells) was observed in the low PY-score group, while naive and suppressive immune cells (such as naive CD8+ T cells and M2 macrophages) dominated in the high PY-score group. CC patients in the low PY-score group showed not only significant survival advantage but also sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment, anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapy, and chemotherapy. Overall, this work revealed that the PYGs played a vital role in the formation of heterogeneity in the TME. The analysis of the PYG-mediated molecular patterns helps in understanding the characterization of TME infiltration and provides insights into more effective therapeutic strategies.

Keywords

• pyroptosis
• colon cancer
• tumor microenvironment
• prognosis
• therapy