Identification of immune infiltration landscape on prognosis and therapy of the ferroptosis-related genes signature in breast cancer

• Published in: Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular cell research 2022-11, Vol.1869 (11), p.119328-119328, Article 119328
• Main Authors: Chen, Yutong, Zhao, Siqiao, Kang, Yihan, Zhang, Yuelin, Chang, Xu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Breast cancer; Ferroptosis; Immune cell infiltration; Immunotherapy; Tumor immune microenvironment
• ISSN: 0167-4889; 1879-2596
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2022.119328

Ferroptosis is a unique iron-dependent cell death mechanism characterized by the generation of lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cancer cells, which leads to mitochondrial metabolic dysregulation. However, how could the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) modulates ferroptosis remains unclear. Thus, by integrating multiple algorithms, we revealed the novel functional and immune patterns of the ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) in breast cancer. Five prognostic FRGs were finally selected for the prognostic signature and four of which were identified as the independent biomarkers for immunotherapies. The consensus cluster analysis illustrated the FRGs were characterized by the metabolism dysfunction and immune infiltration cells, meanwhile, these FRGs have the same stem cell characteristics and response efficacy to the immunotherapies. In conclusion, a comprehensive analysis of the FRGs in breast cancer was conducted to develop a prognostic gene signature. Functional and immunological evidence of vulnerabilities in the interaction between ferroptosis and the TIME was also revealed. Further data and research are required. •The correlation between ferroptosis and TIME was identified.•Ferroptosis is characterized by mitochondrion dysfunction and immune infiltration.•Functional and immune patterns of ferroptosis were demonstrated.•Novel biomarkers for immunotherapies were illustrated.