1. Deciphering the role of sphingolipid metabolism in the immune microenvironment and prognosis of esophageal cancer via single-cell sequencing and bulk data analysis.
- Author
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He, Rongzhang, Tang, Jing, Lai, Haotian, Zhang, Tianchi, Du, Linjuan, Wei, Siqi, Zhao, Ping, Tang, Guobin, Liu, Jie, and Luo, Xiufang
- Subjects
GENE expression ,CANCER chemotherapy ,PROGNOSTIC models ,SQUAMOUS cell carcinoma ,EPITHELIAL cells ,ESOPHAGEAL cancer - Abstract
Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) stands as a significant global health challenge, distinguished by its aggressive progression from the esophageal epithelium. Central to this malignancy is sphingolipid metabolism, a critical pathway that governs key cellular processes, including apoptosis and immune regulation, thereby influencing tumor behavior. The advent of single-cell and transcriptome sequencing technologies has catalyzed significant advancements in oncology research, offering unprecedented insights into the molecular underpinnings of cancer. Methods: We explored sphingolipid metabolism-related genes in ESCC using scRNA-seq data from GEO and transcriptome data from TCGA. We assessed 97 genes in epithelial cells with AUCell, UCell, and singscore algorithms, followed by bulk RNA-seq and differential analysis to identify prognosis-related genes. Immune infiltration and potential immunotherapeutic strategies were also investigated, and tumor gene mutations and drug treatment strategies were analyzed. Result: Our study identified distinct gene expression patterns, highlighting ARSD, CTSA, DEGS1, and PPTQ's roles in later cellular stages. We identified seven independent prognostic genes and created a precise nomogram for prognosis. Conclusion: This study integrates single-cell and transcriptomic data to provide a reliable prognostic model associated with sphingolipid metabolism and to inform immunotherapy and pharmacotherapy for ESCC at the genetic level. The findings have significant implications for precision therapy in esophageal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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