Identification of a Cancer Stem Cell-Related Gene Signature in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Single-Cell RNA-Seq...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Genomics
• Immunology

Background:

• Cancer stem cells (CSCs) drive liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) progression, therapeutic resistance, and recurrence.
• Identifying prognostic biomarkers for LIHC is crucial for developing effective treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the prognostic significance of cancer stem cell biomarkers (BCSCs) in LIHC.
• To develop a prognostic risk model for LIHC based on BCSCs.

Main Methods:

• Integrated analysis of TCGA, ICGA, and GEO (GSE156625) datasets including bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing.
• Development and validation of a nine-BCSC prognostic risk model.
• Characterization of immune cell composition and gene expression in the tumor microenvironment (TME).

Main Results:

• A prognostic risk model based on nine BCSCs (ADM, CCL5, CD274, DLGAP5, HOXD9, IGF1, S100A9, SOCS2, TNFRSF11B) was developed.
• High-risk LIHC patients exhibited significantly shorter overall survival.
• Distinct immune cell compositions and gene expression patterns were observed between high- and low-risk groups, suggesting immune evasion independent of PD-L1.

Conclusions:

• The developed BCSC-based risk model effectively predicts LIHC patient prognosis.
• Liver cancer progression may involve immune evasion mechanisms not solely dependent on PD-L1.
• The low-risk BCSC group shows potential sensitivity to various therapies, paving the way for personalized LIHC treatment strategies.