Title:A Novel Risk Model of SUMOylation-related Genes Associated with Prognosis
in Endometrial Cancer
Volume: 26
Issue: 3
Author(s): Yajie Lei, Qing Xu, Yixin Chen, Haoran Li and Xi Cheng*
Affiliation:
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Minhang Branch of Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
Keywords:
Endometrial cancer, SUMOylation, TCGA, risk model, survival, tumor immunity.
Abstract:
Background: Endometrial cancer is ranked fourth in women's cancers worldwide.
SUMOylation is a process of post-translational modification and some evidence indicate that
SUMOylation may influence the occurrence and development of cancer. Until now, the prognostic
value of SUMOylation-related genes in endometrial cancer remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed
at exploring the prognostic value of SUMOylation-related genes in endometrial cancer in this
study.
Methods: The transcriptome of endometrial cancer from TCGA database was downloaded and
then differentially expressed SUMOylation-related genes were extracted. The risk model was constructed
with the use of the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression. Samples
were divided into low-risk and high-risk group based on the risk score. Survival analysis and
Cox analysis were performed between groups. A validation cohort from Fudan University Shanghai
Cancer Center were obtained to verify the model. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encylopedia of
Genes and Genomes analyses were conducted based on differentially expressed genes between
groups.
Results: Samples in low-risk group possess better outcome than in high-risk group. (P<0.001) The
results of univariate (P<0.001) and multivariate (P=0.018) analysis showed that the risk score was
independently correlated to worse outcome for patients with endometrial cancer. In Fudan University
Shanghai Cancer Center validation cohort, the low-risk group possessed better survival outcome
than the high-risk group (P=0.0393). Functional analysis demonstrated that most of the immune
cell infiltration levels and immune pathways activity in low-risk group were higher than in
high-risk group.
Conclusions: In short, the SUMOylation-related signature had good predictability in endometrial
cancer and SUMOylation-related genes play important roles in tumour immunity. Also, our study
might have some merits in elucidating potential mechanism of SUMOylation in endometrial cancer.