Construction of a Novel Prognostic Immune-Related LncRNA Risk Model for Gastric Cancer

Background: and Aim Studies have recently shown that immune-related lncRNAs play a vital role in the occurrence and development of human malignancies. However, the study in gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. Here, we aimed to identify immune-related lncRNAs and construct a risk score model to predict the prognosis of GC patients. Methods: : RNA expression data and clinical characteristics of GC were download from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Immune genes were obtained from the Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB). Immune-related lncRNAs were acquired by correlation coefficient between the immune genes and lncRNAs using “ limma R ” package and Cytoscape 3.6.1. The risk score model was constructed by univariate and multivariate Cox regression, and its prognostic value was verified in TCGA cohort. Results: : A total of 146 immune-related lncRNAs were obtained compared 375 GC samples with 32 normal samples. A five immune-related lncRNA (AP001528.2, LINC02542, LINC02526, PVT1 and LINC01094) risk score model was constructed to predict prognosis of GC patients by Cox regression analysis. Moreover, GC patients with higher risk score had a poorer overall survival than that with lower risk score (P<0.001). Furthermore, ROC analysis revealed that the risk score model had the best predictive effect compared with clinicopathological features during 5 years followed-up (AUC = 0.679). Indeed, PCA analysis showed that the patients in the low- and high- group were significantly distinguished in different directions based on the risk score model. Conclusion: This study indicated that a five immune-related lncRNA risk score model possessed a satisfactory predictive prognosis, which might be potential prognostic biomarkers and immunotherapy targets for GC patients in future.