Transcriptomic Analysis of Epstein-Barr Virus and Mitochondrial Dynamics-Related Genes in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Prognosis

Background Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a kind of malignant tumor. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and mitochondrial dynamics may be related to NPC. However, the mechanisms of mitochondrial dynamics and EBV in NPC need to be further explored. Methods This study obtained transcriptomic data from public databases, identified NPC-related prognostic genes through univariate Cox regression analysis and other methods, and subsequently constructed a risk model and a nomogram. Furthermore, based on the prognostic genes, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), immune infiltration analysis, and drug sensitivity analysis were performed, and the expression trends of the prognostic genes were verified.All experimental protocols were approved by the Ethics Committee of Affiliated Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University. Results This study identified ARHGAP4, MEIS1, and XCR1 as prognostic genes for NPC, and the constructed risk model exhibited good predictive performance. Furthermore, through GSEA, it was found that the two risk groups were differentially enriched in pathways related to ribosomes and other pathways; meanwhile, immune cell infiltration analysis also showed significant differences and correlations. In addition, differences in the sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs such as docetaxel were detected, and the prognostic gene ARHGAP4 was up-regulated in tumor samples, while MEIS1 and XCR1 were down-regulated. Conclusion The research pinpointed three predictive genes (ARHGAP4, MEIS1 and XCR1) and utilized them in developing a risk model, providing new insights into potential therapeutic strategies for NPC.