Identification of lactylation-related subgroups and prognosis model in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent form of cancer. Lactylation contributes to the spread and proliferation of HCC. Although few studies have examined lactylation in constructing prognostic signatures of HCC, this project seeks to develop a novel scoring system based on lactylationrelated genes (LRGs) for predicting HCC prognosis, immunotherapy, single-cell sequencing, and drug sensitivity. Methods: : LRGs were derived from original research. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases contained the HCC transcriptional profile and clinical information. We developed a prognostic model for HCC patients and investigated the enrichment pathways and immune microenvironments among different groups. Ultimately, we presented a new LRGs-dependent nomogram to clinical experts and direction for future individualized cancer immunotherapy. Results: : Eleven lactylation-related DEGs associated with survival in HCC were identified, from which five genes were chosen for prognostic model construction. The risk score was identified as a prognostic factor independently. Functional analysis revealed two subtypes with different medication sensitivity and immune statuses. Next, risk scores and HCC clinicopathological features were combined to develop a nomogram. The decision curve analysis (DCA) analysis indicated that this model provides advantages to clinical treatment strategies. Conclusion: The established five-LRGs signature derived from our research may aid clinical doctors in making individualized treatment decisions for HCC patients.