Abstract
Background
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression is closely associated with tumor immune cell infiltration, a process influenced by the abnormal expression of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). These ncRNAs play a pivotal role in regulating immune infiltration in HCC, thereby providing insights into RNA interactions in this context.
Aims
This study aims to discover new RNA transcripts and develop potential competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks that influence immune infiltration and the prognosis of HCC patients.
Method
We performed lncRNA-mRNA chip sequencing on cancerous and adjacent tissues from three HCC patient pairs to profile differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including mRNAs and lncRNAs. Collaborating with the TCGA database, we identified miRNAs that bind to these transcripts and analyzed the DEGs' expression profiles. The study included GO and KEGG functional enrichment analyses of DEGs. Furthermore, we constructed a ceRNA network using R software to explore the relationship between key genes and immune cell infiltration and their impact on HCC patient prognosis.
Results
A ceRNA sub-network involving 8 lincRNAs, 4 miRNAs, and 18 mRNAs associated with HCC immune infiltration was established. We identified four immune-related hub genes (CD3G, CD8B, IL7R, and SHC1) linked to HCC prognosis. CD3G, CD8B, and IL7R emerged as protective factors, whereas SHC1 was identified as a risk factor. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that higher expression levels of CD3G, CD8B, and IL7R correlate with longer survival in HCC patients, while increased SHC1 expression is associated with reduced survival time.
Conclusion
The constructed lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network highlights four critical genes that may regulate immune infiltration in HCC. This study sheds light on the post-transcriptional regulatory role of lncRNAs in HCC and lays the groundwork for identifying novel targets for HCC immunotherapy.