Prognostic and immune microenvironment analysis of cuproptosis-related lncRNAs in human pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal malignancies, with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Emerging evidence implicates cuproptosis-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in tumor progression, though their roles in pancreatic cancer remain unexplored. To identify cuproptosis-linked lncRNAs in pancreatic cancer, RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were evaluated. A prognostic model was developed utilizing multivariate Cox regression that focused on important lncRNAs. Additionally, analyses were executed including Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, as well as Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway assessments. Evaluations of tumor mutation burden (TMB) and the immune microenvironment were also carried out. Our research corroborated the results using human pancreatic cancer tissue samples, pinpointing LINC00900 and AC078820.1 as lncRNAs significantly correlated with overall survival, thus underscoring their potential as prognostic indicators and therapeutic targets in pancreatic cancer. LINC00900 indicated a favorable prognosis, whereas AC078820.1 was associated with poorer outcomes. The findings from GO and KEGG analyses illustrated their roles in regulating immune responses and involvement in the PPAR signaling pathway. High-risk group patients showed an increased TMB, with notable mutations in genes such as KRAS and TP53. Furthermore, analysis of the immune microenvironment indicated heightened cytolytic activity, T-cell co-stimulation, and expression of immune checkpoints in the high-risk group, suggesting possibilities for immune evasion. LINC00900 and AC078820.1 emerge as promising prognostic indicators in pancreatic cancer, offering potential implications for personalized treatment strategies that focus on cuproptosis-related pathways.