Association of Glycosylation-Related Genes with Different Patterns of Immune Profiles and Prognosis in Cervical Cancer

(1) Background: Although the application of modern diagnostic tests and vaccination against human papillomavirus has markedly reduced the incidence and mortality of early cervical cancer, advanced cervical cancer still has a high death rate worldwide. Glycosylation is closely associated with tumor invasion, metabolism, and the immune response. This study explored the relationship among glycosylation-related genes, the immune microenvironment, and the prognosis of cervical cancer. (2) Methods and results: Clinical information and glycosylation-related genes of cervical cancer patients were downloaded from the TCGA database and the Molecular Signatures Database. Patients in the training cohort were split into two subgroups using consensus clustering. A better prognosis was observed to be associated with a high immune score, level, and status using ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT, and ssGSEA analyses. The differentially expressed genes were revealed to be enriched in proteoglycans in cancer and the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, as well as in the PI3K/AKT and the Hippo signaling pathways according to functional analyses, including GO, KEGG, and PPI. The prognostic risk model generated using the univariate Cox regression analysis, LASSO algorithm and multivariate Cox regression analyses, and prognostic nomogram successfully predicted the survival and prognosis of cervical cancer patients. (3) Conclusions: Glycosylation-related genes are correlated with the immune microenvironment of cervical cancer and show promising clinical prediction value.

Automated summary

This study explored the relationship between glycosylation-related genes, the immune microenvironment, and the prognosis of cervical cancer. Functional analyses revealed enrichment in proteoglycans in cancer, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and the PI3K/AKT and Hippo signaling pathways. A prognostic risk model successfully predicted the survival and prognosis of cervical cancer patients.