Analysis of Pyroptosis-Related Signature for Predicting Prognosis and Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Pancreatic Cancer.

ABSTRACT

Pancreatic cancer (PC) has a poor prognosis, which is attributable to its high aggressiveness and lack of effective therapies. Although immunotherapy has been used for the treatment of various tumor, its efficacy in pancreatic cancer is not satisfactory. As a caspase-1-dependent programmed cell death, pyroptosis s involved in the pathological process of many tumors. Nevertheless, the vital role of the pyroptosis-related gene (PRG) in PC remains unknown. In this study, univariate COX regression was performed for 33 pyroptosis-related genes. Based on these prognosis-related PRGs, all PC patients in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were divided into four subtypes. Then, pyroptosis score (PP-score) was established to quantify pyroptosis level for individual PC patients using principal component analysis (PCA) algorithms. Assessment of pyroptosis level within individual PC patients may predict tumor classification and patient prognosis. Finally, a signature was constructed in TCGA and verified in ICGC. In addition, immunocheckpoint analysis revealed the possibility that the low-risk group would benefit more from immunocheckpoint therapy. Taken together, pyroptosis-related genes play a significant role in tumor immunotherapy and can be utilized to predict the prognosis of PC patients.