Prognostic prediction of systemic immune-inflammation status for patients with colorectal cancer: a novel pyroptosis-related model

Pyroptosis and related gasdermin family proteins play an important role in the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the prognostic roles of pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) and their relation to infiltrates of immune cells in the pathogenesis of CRC remain unclear. Using this study, we set up a prognostic gene pattern on the basis of 13 PRGs (AIM2, CASP1, CASP5, CASP6, CASP8, CASP9, ELANE, GPX4, GSDMD, NLRP7, NOD2, PJVK, and PRKACA) for CRC patients. A comprehensive bioinformatics analysis based on these genes was then performed. With the good AUC prediction value of the ROC curves, the group with high hazard first had a poorer survival prognosis than the group with low hazard. Second, we found that PRGs were significantly related to inflammation-associated genes and immune-associated genes in CRC. Then, we identified a correlation of PRGs with immune infiltrations in CRC. For instance, the abundances of resting NK cells resting and neutrophils were higher in the low hazard group than in the high hazard group. Overall, this work indicated that PRGs contributed to generate heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in CRC. This prognostic PRG model may provide a starting point for the early diagnosis and medication use of CRC.

Automated summary

Pyroptosis and related gasdermin family proteins play an important role in the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer. In this study, a prognostic gene pattern was established based on pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) for colorectal cancer patients, and a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis was performed. It was found that PRGs were significantly associated with inflammation-associated genes and immune-associated genes in colorectal cancer, and correlated with immune infiltrations. This work suggests that PRGs contribute to the heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment in colorectal cancer, and the prognostic PRG model may be useful for early diagnosis and medication use.