A prognostic nomogram based on competing endogenous RNA network for clear-cell renal cell carcinoma

Abstract Backgroud Clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is stubborn to traditional chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which makes its clinical management a major challenge. Recently, we have made efforts to understand the etiology of ccRCC. Increasing evidence revealed that the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) were involved in the development of various tumor. However, it’s scant for studying on ccRCC, and a comprehensive analysis of prognostic model based on lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA regulatory network of ccRCC with large-scale sample size and RNA‐sequencing expression data is still limited. Methods RNA‐sequencing expression data were taken out from GTEx database and TCGA database, A total of 354 samples with ccRCC and 157 normal controlled samples were included in our study. The ccRCC-specific genes were obtained from WGCNA and differential expression analysis. Following, the communication between mRNAs and lncRNAs and target miRNAs were predicted by MiRcode, starBase, miRTarBase, and TargetScan. A gene signature of eight genes was constructed by univariate Cox regression, lasso methods and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Results A total of 2191 mRNAs and 1377 lncRNAs was identified, and a dys-regulated ceRNA network for ccRCC was established using 7 mRNAs, 363 lncRNAs, and 3 miRNAs. Further, a gene signature in cluding 8 genes based on this ceRNA was constructed, meanwhile, a nomogram predicting 1-, 3-, 5-year survival probability containing both clinical characteristics and ccRCC-specific gene signatures was developed. Conclusion It could contribute to a better understanding of ccRCC tumorigenesis mechanism and guide clinicians to make a more accurate treatment decision.