Correlation between the immune microenvironment and bladder cancer based on a prognostic miRNA risk model

Abstract

<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Nunito; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; color: #212529; background: white;">Background: </span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Nunito; color: #212529; background: white;">Bladder cancer (BLCA), particularly invasive BLCA, has become a medical burden worldwide as it is associated with recurrence and easy metastasis. There are specific differences in the expression of various miRNAs in tumor and normal tissues. Hence, miRNAs can be used as biomarkers for tumor diagnosis and prognostic evaluation. The current study aimed to predict the downstream target genes of BLCA-related miRNAs and explore their association with immune infiltration. Method: Data on BLCA-related mRNA and miRNA expression levels were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Correlation analysis and Cox regression analysis were performed to validate the miRNA risk model. The infiltration of various immune cells should be compared to determine the distinct differences between the immunological microenvironment of the two risk groups. <strong><span style="font-family: Nunito; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Results: </span></strong>A predictive framework of BLCA was established using the expression levels of two miRNAs. Cox regression analysis showed that the low-risk group had a better prognosis. Then, the target genes of miRNA were predicted, and the target genes were analyzed using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. Moreover, variations in immune cells and functions between the high- and low-risk groups were assessed. <strong><span style="font-family: Nunito; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Conclusion:</span></strong> The prognostic features composed of two associated miRNAs (MIR-25, MIR-548AN) may help predict the overall survival of BLCA.</span></p>