A pyrimidine metabolism-related gene signature for prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment description of breast cancer

Abstract Background Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark in cancer. Pyrimidine metabolism (PM), a part of nucleotide metabolism, has been shown to be associated with the progression of various cancers, and the prognostic predictive ability of pyrimidine metabolism-related genes (PMG) in breast canc...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Han Wang, Ziling Zhou, Hanyi Zhong, Shoutang Wang, Kunwei Shen, Renhong Huang, Ruo Wang, Zheng Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Translational Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-06700-2
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849433050852622336
author Han Wang
Ziling Zhou
Hanyi Zhong
Shoutang Wang
Kunwei Shen
Renhong Huang
Ruo Wang
Zheng Wang
author_facet Han Wang
Ziling Zhou
Hanyi Zhong
Shoutang Wang
Kunwei Shen
Renhong Huang
Ruo Wang
Zheng Wang
author_sort Han Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark in cancer. Pyrimidine metabolism (PM), a part of nucleotide metabolism, has been shown to be associated with the progression of various cancers, and the prognostic predictive ability of pyrimidine metabolism-related genes (PMG) in breast cancer has not been elucidated. This paper was designed to identify pyrimidine metabolism-related prognostic marker of breast cancer and potential targeted therapeutic options. Methods The cohort in the TCGA-BRCA dataset was used for patient information, and 108 pyrimidine metabolism-related genes were identified from the MSigDB KEGG pathways. We identified PM clusters in breast cancer and established a PM risk score model based on 10 pyrimidine metabolism-related genes. The status of immune infiltration was assessed in different groups. Further we identified the relevant hub gene and analyzed its significance for breast cancer metastasis and explored patterns of combination therapy. Results We identified three types of PM clusters in breast cancer and clarified that PM cluster C with inferior prognosis possessed activation of tumor proliferation-associated pathways. The high-risk group in PM risk score model was found to be characterized by an immunosuppressive microenvironment. The hub gene POLR2C (RNA polymerase II subunit C) was further identified and verified as a potential prognostic marker. Furthermore, targeting POLR2C in combination with anti-PD-1 and anti-angiogenic therapies demonstrated a promising tumor suppression effect, suggesting a potential therapeutic direction. Conclusions These findings provide additional insights into the link between breast cancer and PMG, offering potential strategies for breast cancer management and treatment.
format Article
id doaj-art-c31753dbf3f449a98c853b1de7ae8daa
institution Kabale University
issn 1479-5876
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Journal of Translational Medicine
spelling doaj-art-c31753dbf3f449a98c853b1de7ae8daa2025-08-20T03:27:11ZengBMCJournal of Translational Medicine1479-58762025-06-0123111610.1186/s12967-025-06700-2A pyrimidine metabolism-related gene signature for prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment description of breast cancerHan Wang0Ziling Zhou1Hanyi Zhong2Shoutang Wang3Kunwei Shen4Renhong Huang5Ruo Wang6Zheng Wang7Department of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineSchool of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong KongDepartment of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Breast Surgery, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou University Affiliated Provincial HospitalDepartment of General Surgery, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineAbstract Background Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark in cancer. Pyrimidine metabolism (PM), a part of nucleotide metabolism, has been shown to be associated with the progression of various cancers, and the prognostic predictive ability of pyrimidine metabolism-related genes (PMG) in breast cancer has not been elucidated. This paper was designed to identify pyrimidine metabolism-related prognostic marker of breast cancer and potential targeted therapeutic options. Methods The cohort in the TCGA-BRCA dataset was used for patient information, and 108 pyrimidine metabolism-related genes were identified from the MSigDB KEGG pathways. We identified PM clusters in breast cancer and established a PM risk score model based on 10 pyrimidine metabolism-related genes. The status of immune infiltration was assessed in different groups. Further we identified the relevant hub gene and analyzed its significance for breast cancer metastasis and explored patterns of combination therapy. Results We identified three types of PM clusters in breast cancer and clarified that PM cluster C with inferior prognosis possessed activation of tumor proliferation-associated pathways. The high-risk group in PM risk score model was found to be characterized by an immunosuppressive microenvironment. The hub gene POLR2C (RNA polymerase II subunit C) was further identified and verified as a potential prognostic marker. Furthermore, targeting POLR2C in combination with anti-PD-1 and anti-angiogenic therapies demonstrated a promising tumor suppression effect, suggesting a potential therapeutic direction. Conclusions These findings provide additional insights into the link between breast cancer and PMG, offering potential strategies for breast cancer management and treatment.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-06700-2Pyrimidine metabolismGene signatureBreast cancerPOLR2C
spellingShingle Han Wang
Ziling Zhou
Hanyi Zhong
Shoutang Wang
Kunwei Shen
Renhong Huang
Ruo Wang
Zheng Wang
A pyrimidine metabolism-related gene signature for prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment description of breast cancer
Journal of Translational Medicine
Pyrimidine metabolism
Gene signature
Breast cancer
POLR2C
title A pyrimidine metabolism-related gene signature for prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment description of breast cancer
title_full A pyrimidine metabolism-related gene signature for prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment description of breast cancer
title_fullStr A pyrimidine metabolism-related gene signature for prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment description of breast cancer
title_full_unstemmed A pyrimidine metabolism-related gene signature for prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment description of breast cancer
title_short A pyrimidine metabolism-related gene signature for prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment description of breast cancer
title_sort pyrimidine metabolism related gene signature for prognosis prediction and immune microenvironment description of breast cancer
topic Pyrimidine metabolism
Gene signature
Breast cancer
POLR2C
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-06700-2
work_keys_str_mv AT hanwang apyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT zilingzhou apyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT hanyizhong apyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT shoutangwang apyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT kunweishen apyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT renhonghuang apyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT ruowang apyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT zhengwang apyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT hanwang pyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT zilingzhou pyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT hanyizhong pyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT shoutangwang pyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT kunweishen pyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT renhonghuang pyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT ruowang pyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer
AT zhengwang pyrimidinemetabolismrelatedgenesignatureforprognosispredictionandimmunemicroenvironmentdescriptionofbreastcancer