Upregulated UBE4B expression correlates with poor prognosis and tumor immune infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major human health concern. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that ubiquitin ligase E4B (UBE4B) may be involved in the occurrence and development of various human cancers and may affect prognosis. However, the specific role and mechanism of UBE4B in HCC is unclear.

A pan-cancer analysis of UBE4B expression, clinicopathological features, and prognosis was performed using bioinformatics techniques. Subsequently, the expression, prognosis, and correlation of UBE4B and its upstream miRNAs and lncRNAs were analyzed. We investigated the relationship between UBE4B expression and immune cell infiltration, immunomodulatory factors, and chemokines in HCC. The expression levels of UBE4B and its upstream lncRNAs (FGD5-AS1, LINC00858, and SNHG16) and miRNAs (hsa-miR-22-3p) were evaluated in HCC cell lines using qRT-PCR.

UBE4B expression increased in HCC and was correlated with a poor survival rate in patients with HCC. A ceRNA network was established to identify the UBE4B-hsa-miR-22-3p-FGD5-AS1/LINC00858/SNHG16 regulatory axis in HCC. UBE4B expression was significantly associated with immune cell infiltration, immunomodulators, chemokines, and their receptors in HCC. The mRNA expression of FGD5-AS1, LINC00858, SNHG16, and UBE4B was higher in the HCC cell lines (7721 and HepG2) than in the normal hepatocyte line (LO2), and the expression of hsa-miR-22-3p mRNA showed a decreasing trend.

Our findings showed that upregulation of UBE4B was associated with poor prognosis and tumor immune infiltration in HCC. These findings will aid in understanding the relevant functions of UBE4B and provide new strategies for drug development and exploration of prognosis-related biomarkers.