RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Specific tumor markers have yet to be identified in rectal cancer. This study aims to identify a novel genetic signature in rectal cancer to provide clues for survival and immunotherapy. METHODS: DEGs were obtained from two GEO datasets of rectal cancer. By using data from TCGA and GSE133057, two cohorts of rectal cancer were applied to establish and evaluate the signature. A nomogram was constructed for training and validation. We integrated the risk-score with clinicopathological features and assessed its interplay with immune cells and molecules. Finally, our study performed functional annotations, gene-targeted miRNAs, and single-cell analysis. RESULTS: A total of 468 DEGs were identified, and a signature consisting of 5 genes (CLIC5, ENTPD8, PACSIN3, HGD, and GNG7) was selected to calculate the risk-score. The model exhibited high performance in time-dependent ROC and a nomogram. Further results showed that overall survival was significantly worse in the high-risk group. As an independent prognostic factor, the risk-score was associated with vascular invasion. There was a dramatic difference in nonregulatory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells between the high and low-risk groups, and the 5 genes were correlated with immune inhibitors. There was a considerable difference in autophagy, immune, cell cycle, infection, and apoptosis-associated terms and pathways in GO and KEGG. The functional states of differentiation, apoptosis, and quiescence were closely related to the 5-gene signature in single-cell analysis. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the signature could serve as a novel prognostic biomarker in rectal cancer, which might benefit decision-making regarding immunotherapy.
RESUMO
In recent years, the research on gold nanoparticles has made great progress. Gold nanoparticles with different morphologies have good application prospects in drug delivery and tumor treatment. Some gold nanoparticles have entered the stage of clinical trials. Gold nanorods have become important research objects due to their special optical properties and photothermal treatment potential. In this paper, the optical properties and main applications of gold nanorods were reviewed. Gold nanorods have good surface modifiable properties and can be modified through surface ligand exchange to improve their biocompatibility. The photothermal properties of gold nanorods can be improved by adjusting the aspect ratio to adjust the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak to achieve near-infrared light excitation. These characteristics make gold nanorods show good application prospects in the detection of biological macromolecules, real-time imaging in vivo, and early diagnosis and treatment of tumors. Using gold nanorods as a carrier and modified with different targeting molecules can improve the targeting of its drug delivery system and reduce damage to normal cells, so as to realize the combined application of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy, and finally achieve a better therapeutic effect. Combining gold nanorods with stem cells or certain specific biomolecules can form a hybrid gold nanorod system which provides new ideas for further improving the efficiency of tumor treatment.
