背景:最近,人们对倾斜引起了极大的兴趣,一种由铜介导的程序性细胞死亡形式。与角化相关的基因影响结直肠癌(CRC)发展的具体机制尚不清楚。
方法:这里,我们将大量RNA-seq与scRNA-seq结合起来研究CRC中的CRGs功能。选择了61个与角化相关的基因进行进一步研究。通过Lasso-Cox鉴定了9个预后性CRGs。创建了RiskScore,并将患者分为两个不同的组,低和高风险评分组。TheCIBERSORT,估计,MCP计数器,潮汐,IPS已经被用来对TME进行评分,使用GSVA和GSEA评估两组内的通路。Further,我们使用细胞通讯分析来探索基于scRNA-seq的COX17和DLAT的肿瘤微环境重塑机制。最后,我们使用IHC和qPCR验证了COX17和DLAT的表达。
结果:AOC3、CCS、CDKN2A,COX11,COX17,COX19,DLD,DLAT,PDHB和PDHB已被认为是CRC的预后CRGs。高危人群预后最差,免疫缺陷表型,并且对ICB治疗更耐药。Further,scRNA-seq分析显示,CD4-CXCL13Tfh中COX17的表达升高可能有助于免疫逃避,而DLAT则具有相反的作用,逆转T细胞耗竭和诱导焦凋亡以促进CD8-GZMKT浸润。
结论:目前的研究已经建立了一个预后框架,该框架利用了对预测预后非常有效的角化相关基因,TME类型,以及CRC患者对免疫治疗的反应。此外,我们的研究揭示了一个新的发现,即CRC中CD4-CXCL13T细胞中COX17表达水平的升高介导T细胞耗尽和Treg浸润,而已经发现DLAT通过T细胞耗竭逆转和诱导焦亡促进抗肿瘤免疫激活。
Recently, there has been a great deal interest in cuproptosis, a form of programmed cell death that is mediated by copper. The specific mechanism through which cuproptosis-related genes impact the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unknown.
Here, we combined bulk RNA-seq with scRNA-seq to investigate the CRGs functions within CRC. A number of 61 cuproptosis-related genes were chosen for further investigation. Nine prognostic CRGs were identified by Lasso-Cox. The RiskScore was created and the patients have been separated into two different groups, low- and high-RiskScore group. The CIBERSORT, ESTIMATE, MCP-counter, TIDE, and IPS have been employed to score the TME, and GSVA and GSEA were utilized to evaluate the pathway within the both groups. Further, we used cell communication analysis to explore the tumor microenvironment remodeling mechanisms of the COX17 and DLAT based on scRNA-seq. Finally, we used IHC and qPCR to validate the expression of COX17 and DLAT.
AOC3, CCS, CDKN2A, COX11, COX17, COX19, DLD, DLAT, and PDHB have been recognized as prognostic CRGs in CRC. The high-risk group exhibited the worst prognosis, an immune-deficient phenotype, and were more resistant to ICB treatment. Further, scRNA-seq analysis revealed that elevated expression of COX17 in CD4-CXCL13Tfh could contribute to the immune evasion while DLAT had the opposite effect, reversing T cell exhaustion and inducing pyroptosis to boost CD8-GZMKT infiltration.
The current investigation has developed a prognostic framework utilizing cuproptosis-related genes that is highly effective in predicting prognosis, TME type, and response to immunotherapy in CRC patients. Furthermore, our study reveals a novel finding that elevated levels of COX17 expression within CD4-CXCL13 T cells in CRC mediates T cell exhaustion and Treg infiltration, while DLAT has been found to facilitate the anti-tumor immunity activation through the T cell exhaustion reversal and the induction of pyroptosis.