The Pyroptosis-Related Signature Composed of GSDMC Predicts Prognosis and Contributes to Growth and Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: Pyroptosis-related genes (PRG) are closely associated with the progression and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The predictive power of PRGs could be used to assess the clinical outcomes of HCC. Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA-seq data and clinical information from patients with liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) were used to identify PRG with differentially expressed between HCC and normal samples. Univariate Cox regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox method, and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to develop a prognostic model that included three PRGs. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to identify differential immune cells and their associated pathways. The expression of Gasdermin C (GSDMC) in the HCC samples was detected by western blotting, and the function of GSDMC in HCC proliferation and metastasis was detected by the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, cell invasion, and wound healing assays. Results: Of 52 PRGs, GSDMC, Bcl-2 homologusantagonist/ killer 1 (BAK1), and NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 6 (NLRP6) were selected to establish a prognostic model. The model successfully differentiated HCC patients with varied survival in the TCGA training and test cohorts, as well as the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) validation cohorts. The risk score was proven to be an independent prognostic factor. In addition, we also reported a marked upregulation of GSDMC in HCC tissues, which could be induced by CD274 (PD-L1). Overexpression of GSDMC contributes to HCC cells invasion, proliferation, and migration. Conclusions: The three PRGs signatures containing GSDMC independently predicted HCC prognosis. As a new driver molecule, GSDMC could play a tumor-promoting role by facilitating HCC growth and metastasis.