Identification of DLAT as a potential therapeutic target via a novel cuproptosis-related gene signature for the prediction of liver cancer prognosis

The prognosis for liver cancer (LC) is dismal. Researchers recently discovered cuproptosis, a novel form of controlled cell death whose expression in LC and prognosis are unclear. This study reveals a gene signature to predict LC prognosis. RNA and clinical data for 371 LC patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by comparing cancerous and normal samples. Genes linked to overall survival (OS) were found using univariate Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). The gene signature was validated across all patients. Gene expression and clinical traits were analyzed, and Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves were generated for high- and low-risk groups. DEGs were used for Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), immune infiltration, and drug prediction analyses. 's functions were assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), transwell invasion, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, and drug resistance assays. A total of 12 cuproptosis regulators were discovered in LC and normal liver tissues. A 3-gene signature based on LASSO Cox regression was utilized to categorize TCGA LC patients into low- and high-risk categories. Low-risk patients exhibited better survival than high-risk patients (P