Prognostic and Immunologic Characteristics of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Based on Disulfidptosis-Related lncRNAs

Disulfidptosis is a new and unique mode of cell death in malignant tumors that plays an important role in tumorigenesis and development. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of disulfideptosis-related lncRNAs (DRLs) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Differential expression and Pearson correlation analyses were used to identify DRLs associated with HNSCC, and a regression model containing six core DRLs was constructed using univariate COX regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis. The predictive power of the models was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis, receptor operating characteristic curves (ROC), principal component analysis (PCA), nomograms, and consistency indices. In addition, the relationship between the immune microenvironment of HNSCC and risk prognostic modeling was investigated by functional enrichment using Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG), single-sample genome enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), and GSEA. Finally, potentially effective drugs for the treatment of HNSCC were identified by immune checkpoint and drug sensitivity screening. In addition, the expression of DRGs and DRLs was assessed using RT-qPCR and protein blotting analysis. A risk score model consisting of six DRLs (MIR34AHG, RAB11B-AS1, SNHG16, AC108693.2, AC090587.1, and AL590617.2) was constructed, which can be used to guide the prognosis and immune microenvironment of HNSCC. According to the survival analysis, high-risk patients had a poorer prognosis. GO and KEGG analyses showed enrichment of DRLs and immune-related pathways. The differential expression of disulfide-related genes (DRGs) and DRLs in HNSCC and adjacent normal tissues was further confirmed by qPCR and protein blotting analysis. Our study elucidated the relationship between DRLs and the prognosis, immune microenvironment, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and drug sensitivity of HNSCC and provided new ideas for individualized treatment of HNSCC.

Disulfidptosis; Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; Immune microenvironment; LncRNAs; Prognostic model.