Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase-based Prognosis Model and Exploration of Potential Mechanisms in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) participate in tumor initiation and progression but their involvement in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not clear. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value and underlying mechanisms of ARS in HCC.

Data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), International Cancer Genome Consortium, Gene Expression Omnibus and Human Protein Atlas databases. The prognostic model was constructed with the use of Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, enrichment analysis, single sample gene set enrichment analysis and tumor mutation burden calculation were performed with R to evaluate the model and explore the underlying mechanism. Wilcoxon tests were used for comparisons between groups.

Aspartyl-tRNA synthetase 2 (DARS2), tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase 1 (YARS1) and cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase 2 (CARS2) were identified as prognostic biomarkers and enrolled in model construction. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of the model was 0.775. The model was used to assign patients from TCGA into low- and high-risk groups. Those in the high-risk group had a worse prognosis (p<0.001). The clinical significance of the model was tested in different clinical subgroups. Genetic mutation analysis had a higher TP53 mutation frequency in high-risk group. Enrichment analysis and study of immune-related cells and molecules found that the high-risk group was characterized by immune-cell infiltration and immunosuppression states.

A novel ARS family-based model of HCC prognosis was constructed. TP53 mutation frequency and immune-suppressive status accounted for a worse prognosis in patients included in the high-risk group.