Disulfide bond-related gene signature development for bladder cancer prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment characterization

Abstract Bladder cancer is the fourth most common malignant tumor in men, with limited therapeutic biomarkers and heterogeneous responses to immunotherapy. Disulfide bond-driven cell death has emerged as a critical regulator of tumor progression and immune microenvironment remodeling. By integrating...

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Main Authors: Hua Huang, Haiyan Shao, Yifan Wang, Lili Ge
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-03974-w
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author Hua Huang
Haiyan Shao
Yifan Wang
Lili Ge
author_facet Hua Huang
Haiyan Shao
Yifan Wang
Lili Ge
author_sort Hua Huang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Bladder cancer is the fourth most common malignant tumor in men, with limited therapeutic biomarkers and heterogeneous responses to immunotherapy. Disulfide bond-driven cell death has emerged as a critical regulator of tumor progression and immune microenvironment remodeling. By integrating data from TCGA and GEO cohorts, we developed a Disulfide-Related Prognostic Signature (DRPS) using ten machine learning algorithms. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) elucidated the cell subtype-specific expression patterns of disulfide bond regulatory genes, while immune microenvironment and drug sensitivity analyses validated its clinical translational potential. qRT-PCR experiments confirmed differential expression patterns of core genes in bladder cancer cell lines. The DRPS model, optimized by the StepCox[backward] algorithm, demonstrated robust prognostic accuracy across four validation cohorts (mean C-index = 0.658). High-risk patients exhibited an enhanced immunosuppressive microenvironment characterized by infiltrated activated cancer-associated fibroblasts, upregulated APC co-inhibition pathways, and elevated immune checkpoint expression. Notably, high DRPS scores were associated with primary resistance to immunotherapy but showed increased sensitivity to anti-tumor agents such as Elephantine and Leflunomide. This study establishes a novel DRPS that serves as a predictive indicator for bladder cancer prognosis and pan-cancer immunotherapy efficacy.
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spelling doaj-art-1da7f7ae60ed4d34b3d82c128663a3342025-08-20T02:03:31ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-03974-wDisulfide bond-related gene signature development for bladder cancer prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment characterizationHua Huang0Haiyan Shao1Yifan Wang2Lili Ge3 Department of Urology, Urology and Nephrology Center, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College Department of Urology, Urology and Nephrology Center, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College Department of Urology, Urology and Nephrology Center, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical CollegeDepartment of Nursing, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical CollegeAbstract Bladder cancer is the fourth most common malignant tumor in men, with limited therapeutic biomarkers and heterogeneous responses to immunotherapy. Disulfide bond-driven cell death has emerged as a critical regulator of tumor progression and immune microenvironment remodeling. By integrating data from TCGA and GEO cohorts, we developed a Disulfide-Related Prognostic Signature (DRPS) using ten machine learning algorithms. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) elucidated the cell subtype-specific expression patterns of disulfide bond regulatory genes, while immune microenvironment and drug sensitivity analyses validated its clinical translational potential. qRT-PCR experiments confirmed differential expression patterns of core genes in bladder cancer cell lines. The DRPS model, optimized by the StepCox[backward] algorithm, demonstrated robust prognostic accuracy across four validation cohorts (mean C-index = 0.658). High-risk patients exhibited an enhanced immunosuppressive microenvironment characterized by infiltrated activated cancer-associated fibroblasts, upregulated APC co-inhibition pathways, and elevated immune checkpoint expression. Notably, high DRPS scores were associated with primary resistance to immunotherapy but showed increased sensitivity to anti-tumor agents such as Elephantine and Leflunomide. This study establishes a novel DRPS that serves as a predictive indicator for bladder cancer prognosis and pan-cancer immunotherapy efficacy.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-03974-wBladder cancerDisulfide bondsMachine learningPrognostic signatureImmunotherapy
spellingShingle Hua Huang
Haiyan Shao
Yifan Wang
Lili Ge
Disulfide bond-related gene signature development for bladder cancer prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment characterization
Scientific Reports
Bladder cancer
Disulfide bonds
Machine learning
Prognostic signature
Immunotherapy
title Disulfide bond-related gene signature development for bladder cancer prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment characterization
title_full Disulfide bond-related gene signature development for bladder cancer prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment characterization
title_fullStr Disulfide bond-related gene signature development for bladder cancer prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment characterization
title_full_unstemmed Disulfide bond-related gene signature development for bladder cancer prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment characterization
title_short Disulfide bond-related gene signature development for bladder cancer prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment characterization
title_sort disulfide bond related gene signature development for bladder cancer prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment characterization
topic Bladder cancer
Disulfide bonds
Machine learning
Prognostic signature
Immunotherapy
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-03974-w
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AT haiyanshao disulfidebondrelatedgenesignaturedevelopmentforbladdercancerprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentcharacterization
AT yifanwang disulfidebondrelatedgenesignaturedevelopmentforbladdercancerprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentcharacterization
AT lilige disulfidebondrelatedgenesignaturedevelopmentforbladdercancerprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentcharacterization