Immune-related basement membrane genes predict the immunotherapy and prognosis of ccRCC patients

Abstract Background Basement membrane (BM) genes are an important factor in the process of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Thus, identifying BM genes with prognostic values in ccRCC is critical. Methods The samples from TCGA were separated randomly into 2 cohorts, the training cohort, and the validation cohort. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were applied to identify prognostic BM genes. Then, nomogram was applied to predict prognosis at different clinicopathological stages and risk scores. GO and KEGG analyses were applied to identify the differentially expressed genes. Moreover, CIBERSORT and ESTIMATE scores were calculated between the high- and low-risk cohort. Results A prognostic risk model of four BM genes, including ADAMTS14, COL7A1, HSPG2, and TIMP3, was constructed. There were also significant differences in survival time between the high- and low-risk cohort for the validation cohort and the entire cohort. The risk model was validated as a new independent prognostic factor for ccRCC by univariate and multivariate Cox regression together with clinicopathological characteristics. The model can also analyze the possibility of immune escape and response to immunotherapy in ccRCC patients. In addition, the results of a pan-cancer analysis showed that these four model genes were associated with immune-related genes in a variety of cancers. Conclusion The signature of four BM genes had a significant prognostic value for ccRCC. They may be promising targets for therapy, especially immune therapy.