Identification of IGF2BP2 as a Prognostic Biomarker and Immunotherapeutic Target Based on Alternative Splicing Events in Glioblastoma

Abstract Aim: A glioblastoma (GBM) prognostic model was developed with GBM -related alternative splicing (AS) data and prognostic markers were identified. Methods: AS data and clinical data of GBM patients were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) SpliceSeq database and TCGA database, respectively. The data from these two databases were intersected to screen the prognosis-associated AS events, which was subsequently examined in Univariate Cox regression models. To avoid model overfitting, LASSO regression analysis was conducted. On the basis of these AS events, we established a prognostic model of GBM with the use of multivariate Cox regression analysis. On the strength of this model, the patients were assigned into high-risk and low-risk groups with a median risk score as the threshold. Kaplan-Meier survival, receiver operating characteristic (ROC), and calibration curves were applied to evaluate the performance of this model. Finally, combined with the risk model and clinicopathological characteristics, Cox regression analysis was utilized to identify the independent prognostic markers of GBM, and a nomogram was constructed. Results: The AS and clinical data of 169 GBM patients from the TCGA SpliceSeq and TCGA databases were collected. Univariate Cox regression analysis identified 1000 prognosis-related AS events in GBM, and then Lasso regression analysis identified 16 AS events. A GBM prognostic risk model was constructed based on AS events of 7 genes (FAM86B1, ZNF302, C19orf57, RPL39L, CBLL1, RWDD1, IGF2BP2). Through this model, we found lower overall survival (OS) rates of the high-risk population versus the low-risk population (p < 0.05). ROC and calibration curve analyses demonstrated the good ability of this model to predict the OS of GBM patients. Cox regression analysis suggested risk score as an independent prognostic factor for GBM. We also found that IGF2BP2 is associated with patient prognosis and have a strong relationship with immunotherapy response. Conclusion: The prognostic model based on AS events can significantly distinguish the survival rate of high-risk and low-risk GBM patients and IGF2BP2 were identified as a novel prognostic biomarker and immunotherapeutic target.