RadSpliceDB: A Comprehensive Database of Radiotherapy Prognosis-Related Splicing Isoforms.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Bioinformatics
• Genomics

Background:

• Radiotherapy (RT) is a cornerstone of cancer treatment, but predicting patient response and survival using biomarkers remains challenging.
• Limited understanding of molecular mechanisms, including alternative splicing, hinders personalized RT strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a comprehensive database, RadSpliceDB, cataloging splicing isoforms associated with RT prognosis across diverse cancer types.
• To identify and validate novel splicing isoform biomarkers for predicting patient survival after radiotherapy.

Main Methods:

• Integrated transcriptome data from The Cancer Genome Atlas for 24 tumor types treated with RT.
• Developed prognostic models using identified splicing isoforms.
• Annotated and performed functional analyses of splicing events and isoforms.
• Assessed tumor antigen potential of selected isoforms using VaxiJen v2.0.

Main Results:

• RadSpliceDB contains 49,587 splicing events and 180,149 splicing isoforms linked to RT prognosis.
• Identified multiple splicing isoforms with significant prognostic value.
• Discovered several splicing isoforms with high tumor antigenicity scores.

Conclusions:

• RadSpliceDB serves as a valuable resource for understanding RT response mechanisms and identifying prognostic biomarkers.
• Splicing isoforms represent promising candidates for personalized radiotherapy and potential tumor antigens.
• The database supports the optimization of RT strategies for improved cancer patient outcomes.