A novel ceRNA-immunoregulatory axis based on immune cell infiltration in ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal carcinoma by integrated weighted gene co-expression network analysis

BACKGROUND: Patients with ulcerative colitis are at an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer with a prolonged disease course. Many studies have shown that alterations in the immune microenvironment play a key role in ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer. Additionally, competing endogenous RNAs have important functions in immunoregulation, affecting inflammation and tumorigenesis. However, the complexity and behavioral characteristics of the competing endogenous RNA immunoregulatory network in ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer remain unclear. We constructed a competing endogenous RNA immunoregulatory network to discover and validate a novel competing endogenous RNA immunoregulatory axis to provide insight into ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer progression. METHODS: The competing endogenous RNA immunoregulatory network was constructed using differential expression analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis, and immune-related genes. Cmap was used to identify small-molecule drugs with therapeutic potential in ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer. The ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer-related pathways were identified by gene set variation and enrichment analysis. CIBERSORT, single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis, and xCell were used to evaluate the infiltration of immune cells and screen hub immunocytes. The competing endogenous RNA immunoregulatory axis was identified by correlation analysis. RESULTS: We identified 130 hub immune genes and constructed a competing endogenous RNA immunoregulatory network consisting of 56 long non-coding RNAs, four microRNAs, and six targeted hub immune genes. Four small-molecule drugs exerted potential therapeutic effects by reversing the expression of hub immune genes. Pathway analysis showed that the NF-κB pathway was significantly enriched. Neutrophils were identified as hub immunocytes, and IL6ST was significantly positively correlated with the neutrophil count. In addition, NEAT1 may serve as a competing endogenous RNA to sponge miR-1-3p and promote IL6ST expression. CONCLUSIONS: The competing endogenous RNA immunoregulatory axis may regulate neutrophil infiltration, affecting the occurrence of ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12876-022-02252-7.