An energy metabolism-related signature relevant to the tumor immune microenvironment in HNSCC

Abstract The importance of energy metabolism in cancer was explored by accumulating studies. Energy metabolism can affect the cellular activities of tumors. However, there is few research exploring the role of energy metabolism in tumor immune microenvironment. In this context, we constructed a nove...

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Main Authors: Kaiyu Zhu, Yang Bai, Changwei Lin, Guilin Song, Yifei Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-05-01
Series:Discover Oncology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-02652-7
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author Kaiyu Zhu
Yang Bai
Changwei Lin
Guilin Song
Yifei Chen
author_facet Kaiyu Zhu
Yang Bai
Changwei Lin
Guilin Song
Yifei Chen
author_sort Kaiyu Zhu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The importance of energy metabolism in cancer was explored by accumulating studies. Energy metabolism can affect the cellular activities of tumors. However, there is few research exploring the role of energy metabolism in tumor immune microenvironment. In this context, we constructed a novel energy metabolism-related prognostic signature containing 8 genes. The risk score calculated by the signature was analyzed to be an independent value of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We further validated the effectiveness and accuracy of our signature in The Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA) cohort and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort. Moreover, we also revealed a negative correlation between the risk score and the activity of the immune processes. Finally, we validated the function of Desmoglein 2 protein (DSG2), a risk gene in the signature, in tumor progression and found that knockdown of DSG2 remarkably suppressed the proliferation and migration of HNSCC cells, which further validated our analysis. In conclusion, the energy metabolism-related gene signature we built is a prospective biomarker of HNSCC, which can offer valuable clues for the research and development of immunotherapeutic drugs in HNSCC.
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spelling doaj-art-2750815ebf2c4b0cba545185210ef6ac2025-08-20T03:48:18ZengSpringerDiscover Oncology2730-60112025-05-0116112310.1007/s12672-025-02652-7An energy metabolism-related signature relevant to the tumor immune microenvironment in HNSCCKaiyu Zhu0Yang Bai1Changwei Lin2Guilin Song3Yifei Chen4Department of Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Changsha (Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital of Changsha, Changsha Hospital of Hunan Normal University)Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityDepartment of Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Changsha (Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital of Changsha, Changsha Hospital of Hunan Normal University)Department of Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Changsha (Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital of Changsha, Changsha Hospital of Hunan Normal University)Abstract The importance of energy metabolism in cancer was explored by accumulating studies. Energy metabolism can affect the cellular activities of tumors. However, there is few research exploring the role of energy metabolism in tumor immune microenvironment. In this context, we constructed a novel energy metabolism-related prognostic signature containing 8 genes. The risk score calculated by the signature was analyzed to be an independent value of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We further validated the effectiveness and accuracy of our signature in The Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA) cohort and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort. Moreover, we also revealed a negative correlation between the risk score and the activity of the immune processes. Finally, we validated the function of Desmoglein 2 protein (DSG2), a risk gene in the signature, in tumor progression and found that knockdown of DSG2 remarkably suppressed the proliferation and migration of HNSCC cells, which further validated our analysis. In conclusion, the energy metabolism-related gene signature we built is a prospective biomarker of HNSCC, which can offer valuable clues for the research and development of immunotherapeutic drugs in HNSCC.https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-02652-7Energy metabolismHead and neck squamous cell carcinomaPrognostic signatureTumor immune microenvironmentDSG2
spellingShingle Kaiyu Zhu
Yang Bai
Changwei Lin
Guilin Song
Yifei Chen
An energy metabolism-related signature relevant to the tumor immune microenvironment in HNSCC
Discover Oncology
Energy metabolism
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Prognostic signature
Tumor immune microenvironment
DSG2
title An energy metabolism-related signature relevant to the tumor immune microenvironment in HNSCC
title_full An energy metabolism-related signature relevant to the tumor immune microenvironment in HNSCC
title_fullStr An energy metabolism-related signature relevant to the tumor immune microenvironment in HNSCC
title_full_unstemmed An energy metabolism-related signature relevant to the tumor immune microenvironment in HNSCC
title_short An energy metabolism-related signature relevant to the tumor immune microenvironment in HNSCC
title_sort energy metabolism related signature relevant to the tumor immune microenvironment in hnscc
topic Energy metabolism
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Prognostic signature
Tumor immune microenvironment
DSG2
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-02652-7
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