The following is a summary of “Identification and study of cuproptosis-related genes in prognostic model of multiple myeloma,” published in the August 2023 issue of Hematology by Wang et al.

Researchers performed a retrospective study to examine the influence of cuproptosis in multiple myeloma (MM) and its potential as a prognostic biomarker or therapeutic focal point.

They sourced MM transcriptomic and clinical data from UCSC Xena and gene expression omnibus (GEO) databases. Afterward, MM samples were classified into distinct subtypes based on cuproptosis genes. The DEGs among these subtypes, specifically the candidate cuproptosis-related genes, underwent analysis via univariate Cox and most minor absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression to build a cuproptosis-related risk model. Following independent prognostic analysis, a nomogram was developed. Lastly, functional enrichment and immune infiltration analyses were performed on the high- and low-risk groups, followed by predicting potential therapeutic agents.

The results showed that 784 MM samples within UCSC Xena cohorts underwent categorization into three distinct subtypes, 346 candidate cuproptosis-related genes, namely CDKN2A, BCL3, KCNA3, and TTC14, 4 were utilized to develop a risk model. The risk score emerged as a robust independent prognostic indicator for patients with MM. Notably, the high-risk group exhibited significant enrichment in the cell cycle pathway. Differences were observed in immune score, ESTIMATE score, cytolytic activity, and 13 resistant cell types, including memory B cells, across risk groups with nine potential drugs.

The concluded prognostic model for MM was constructed using cuproptosis genes.

Source: tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16078454.2023.2249217