Frontiers in Oncology (Oct 2021)

Identification of Prognostic Model Based on Immune-Related LncRNAs in Stage I-III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

  • Qiaxuan Li,
  • Qiaxuan Li,
  • Lintong Yao,
  • Lintong Yao,
  • Zenan Lin,
  • Fasheng Li,
  • Fasheng Li,
  • Daipeng Xie,
  • Congsen Li,
  • Congsen Li,
  • Weijie Zhan,
  • Weijie Zhan,
  • Weihuan Lin,
  • Luyu Huang,
  • Luyu Huang,
  • Shaowei Wu,
  • Shaowei Wu,
  • Haiyu Zhou,
  • Haiyu Zhou,
  • Haiyu Zhou,
  • Haiyu Zhou

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2021.706616
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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BackgroundLong non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in the regulation of immune response and carcinogenesis, shaping tumor immune microenvironment, which could be utilized in the construction of prognostic signatures for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as supplements.MethodsData of patients with stage I-III NSCLC was downloaded from online databases. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator was used to construct a lncRNA-based prognostic model. Differences in tumor immune microenvironments and pathways were explored for high-risk and low-risk groups, stratified by the model. We explored the potential association between the model and immunotherapy by the tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion algorithm.ResultsOur study extracted 15 immune-related lncRNAs to construct a prognostic model. Survival analysis suggested better survival probability in low-risk group in training and validation cohorts. The combination of tumor, node, and metastasis staging systems with immune-related lncRNA signatures presented higher prognostic efficacy than tumor, node, and metastasis staging systems. Single sample gene set enrichment analysis showed higher infiltration abundance in the low-risk group, including B cells (p<0.001), activated CD8+ T cells (p<0.01), CD4+ T cells (p<0.001), activated dendritic cells (p<0.01), and CD56+ Natural killer cells (p<0.01). Low-risk patients had significantly higher immune scores and estimated scores from the ESTIMATE algorithm. The predicted proportion of responders to immunotherapy was higher in the low-risk group. Critical pathways in the model were enriched in immune response and cytoskeleton.ConclusionsOur immune-related lncRNA model could describe the immune contexture of tumor microenvironments and facilitate clinical therapeutic strategies by improving the prognostic efficacy of traditional tumor staging systems.

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