Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the predominant form of liver cancer, is marked by limited therapeutic success and unfavorable prognoses. Its etiology varies regionally, with hepatitis B virus (HBV) being the predominant cause in most of Asia. Immunogenic cell death (ICD), a specific type of cell death, has been extensively linked to HCC treatment in numerous studies. This research aims to explore the significance of ICD-related genes in the Asian HCC cohort, potentially offering novel approaches for HCC management. METHODS: We initially obtained transcriptomic and clinical data pertinent to Asian HCC from the TCGA database. Subsequently, we classified the samples into distinct subgroups according to ICD gene expression levels and conducted analyses of the tumor microenvironment and enrichment. Furthermore, we randomly allocated the samples into training and testing cohorts, thereafter developing and validating an ICD gene-based prognostic model tailored for the Asian HCC population. RESULTS: The Asian HCC samples were categorized into two subgroups: high and low ICD expression. In the low ICD expression group, we observed diminished infiltration of immune and stromal cells, increased tumor purity, and improved prognosis. Moreover, we devised a 5-gene risk-score prognostic model comprising BAX, CASP8, HMGB1, HSP90AA1, and IL6, demonstrating efficacy in prognostic predictions for the Asian HCC cohort. CONCLUSION: Our investigation unveils new perspectives on the influence of ICDs within Asian HCC populations. The derived 5-gene risk-score prognostic model, based on ICDs, not only serves as a tool for assessing prognosis in Asian HCC cases but also suggests potential therapeutic targets for HCC treatment.