Increased RBPs associated with HPV play a role in reducing the survival of patients with head and neck cancer

Objective: Head and neck cancer (HNSC) is the sixth most usual type of cancer in the world. The heterogeneity of this type of cancer is more elevated by the rising rate of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related (HPV+) HNSC, which defines an etiological subtype significantly different from the more common tobacco and alcohol associated HPV-negative (HPV-) HNSC. The aim of this study was to identify the RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) with immune role, and study of their relation with HPV status and drug resistance. Methods By using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and utilizing clinical data, at the first, differential expressed RBPs analysis was performed and among selected RBPs, the genes which consider as immune genes were identified. Then, downstream analyses to characterize this tumor based on HPV status, including pathway mapping, survival analysis, immune infiltration and drug resistance was conducted. Results 99 differentially expressed genes were detected that were similar in RBPs genes and immune genes (IGs) in HNSC. These genes were enriched in some significant pathway and the association of candidate genes with HPV were applied by Chi-squared test and the level of which were evaluated in HPV + and HPV -. Then, the prognostic value of genes was evaluated in HPV + and the correlation of them with immune infiltration and drug resistance was evaluated. Conclusions Identifying the RBPs with immune role and recognizing the molecular differences between HPV + and HPV − tumors could cause the opportunity to find specific genes and the therapeutic approaches for targeting them.