AUTHOR=Liu Zhifeng , Zhang Diekuo , Liu Chao , Li Guo , Chen Huihong , Ling Hang , Zhang Fengyu , Huang Donghai , Wang Xingwei , Liu Yong , Zhang Xin 

TITLE=Comprehensive Analysis of Myeloid Signature Genes in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma to Predict the Prognosis and Immune Infiltration

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.659184

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2021.659184

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p>Myeloid cells are a major heterogeneous cell population in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Imbalance of myeloid response remains a major obstacle to a favorable prognosis and successful immune therapy. Therefore, we aimed to construct a risk model to evaluate the myeloid contexture, which may facilitate the prediction of prognosis and immune infiltration in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In our study, six myeloid signature genes (including <italic>CCL13</italic>, <italic>CCR7</italic>, <italic>CD276</italic>, <italic>IL1B</italic>, <italic>LYVE1</italic> and <italic>VEGFC</italic>) analyzed from 52 differentially expressed myeloid signature genes were finally pooled to establish a prognostic risk model, termed as myeloid gene score (MGS) in a training cohort and validated in a test cohort and an independent external cohort. Furthermore, based on the MGS subgroups, we were able to effectively identify patients with a poor prognosis, aggressive clinical parameters, immune cell infiltration status and immunotherapy response. Thus, MGS may serve as an effective prognostic signature and predictive indicator for immunotherapy response in patients with HNSCC.</p>