GDF10 and IDO1 as a thyroid cancer prognostic biomarker associated with immune infiltration.

[OBJECTION] The aim of this work is to screen the immune-related genes to predict the prognosis and provide a new direction of treatment for patients with thyroid cancer (THCA).

[METHODS] The mRNA and clinical features of THCA patients were collected from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases. The immune-related genes were obtained from the ImmPort databases. The bio-information methods were performed to screen the differential expression genes (DEGs) and genes related to immunity between the THCA patients and normal individuals. On this basis, the hub prognosis immunity genes were screened by Veen. The related genes were obtained by constructing the protein-protein interaction network. The enrichment analyses were performed based on the protein and protein interaction (PPI) related genes. The hub immune checkpoint was screened by correlation analysis. Finally, the hub gene and the immunity checkpoint-miRNA (or transcription factor, drug) interaction network were constructed. A drug-sensitive analysis also was performed.

[RESULTS] The GDF10 was screened. The PPI genes were enriched in the TGF-beta signaling pathway, signaling pathways regulating, the pluripotency of stem cells, Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and so on. The hub immunity checkpoint IDO1 was obtained. The joint indicator of two hub genes was positively related to the thyroid differentiation score. Three interaction factors were found to be related to the two hub genes, and 7 kinds of drugs screened act on the two hub genes at the same time.

[CONCLUSION] This work indicated that immune-related gene GDF10 and immune checkpoint IDO1 are important for the prognosis prediction of THCA patients, and immunity is involved in the proliferation, and differentiation of tumor cells.