Glutamine metabolism genes prognostic signature for stomach adenocarcinoma and immune infiltration: potential biomarkers for predicting overall survival

BACKGROUND: Stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD), caused by mutations in stomach cells, is characterized by poor overall survival. Chemotherapy is commonly administered for stomach cancer patients following surgical resection. An imbalance in tumor metabolic pathways is connected to tumor genesis and growth. It has been discovered that glutamine (Gln) metabolism plays a crucial role in cancer. Metabolic reprogramming is associated with clinical prognosis in various cancers. However, the role of glutamine metabolism genes (GlnMgs) in the fight against STAD remains poorly understood. METHODS: GlnMgs were determined in STAD samples from the TCGA and GEO datasets. The TCGA and GEO databases provide information on stemness indices (mRNAsi), gene mutations, copy number variations (CNV), tumor mutation burden (TMB), and clinical characteristics. Lasso regression was performed to build the prediction model. The relationship between gene expression and Gln metabolism was investigated using co-expression analysis. RESULTS: GlnMgs, found to be overexpressed in the high-risk group even in the absence of any symptomatology, demonstrated strong predictive potential for STAD outcomes. GSEA highlighted immunological and tumor-related pathways in the high-risk group. Immune function and m6a gene expression differed significantly between the low- and high-risk groups. AFP, CST6, CGB5, and ELANE may be linked to the oncology process in STAD patients. The prognostic model, CNVs, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and medication sensitivity all revealed a strong link to the gene. CONCLUSION: GlnMgs are connected to the genesis and development of STAD. These corresponding prognostic models aid in predicting the prognosis of STAD GlnMgs and immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment (TME) may be possible therapeutic targets in STAD. Furthermore, the glutamine metabolism gene signature presents a credible alternative for predicting STAD outcomes, suggesting that these GlnMgs could open a new field of study for STAD-focused therapy Additional trials are needed to validate the results of the current study.