A novel pyroptosis-related LncRNA signature predicts prognosis and indicates tumor immune microenvironment in skin cutaneous melanoma

Abstract

Aims: To explore the correlation between the pyroptosis-related lncRNAs (PRlncRNAs) and the prognosis of skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM), and clarify the effects of the PRlncRNAs on the tumor immune infiltration.

Main methods: In this study, we utilized RNA-seq and clinical characteristics data obtained from TCGA and GEO database to perform co-expression analysis and LASSO Cox regression analysis to construct a 12-PRlncRNA prognostic prediction model. We also performed functional analysis, immune infiltration analysis and drug sensitivity analysis, as well as correlation analysis with autophagy/ferroptosis genes, tumor mutational burden, and PD-1/PD-L1 genes.

Key finding: The model based on the 12-PRlncRNA signature could effectively predict the prognosis of SKCM. Low risk group had a higher anti-tumor immune level generally compared with high-risk group. The signature was correlated with the expression of autophagy/ferroptosis-related genes and PD1/PD-L1 genes and tumor mutational burden. Additionally, drug sensitivity analysis indicated potential therapeutic targets.

Significance: Our study demonstrated the impact of PRlncRNAs on SKCM. The model established based on the 12-PRlncRNA showed significant prognostic value for SKCM and may be instructive in pyroptosis-related targeted therapy in the clinic.

Keywords: Long non-coding RNAs; Prognosis; Pyroptosis; Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM); Tumor immune microenvironment.