Expression of immunogenic cell death-related genes is correlated with the immune microenvironment and predicts prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a type of regulated cell death that is sufficient to prime adaptive immune responses. Mounting evidence has demonstrated that ICD has the potential to modify the tumor immune microenvironment through the release of numerous damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which may contribute to the effects of immunotherapy. We aimed to explore the expression profile of ICD-associated biomarkers in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and construct a prognostic signature based on these genes. In this study, we identified two ICD-associated molecular subgroups with significantly different survival rates. Cluster 1 was associated with a favorable prognosis and a high abundance of immune-infiltrating cells and a relatively high immune status. Functional analyses revealed that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two subgroups were mainly involved in immune response signaling. In addition, a risk score signature established based on 11 ICD-related genes showed notable potential for predicting the prognosis of patients with LUAD. Analysis of immune profiles indicated that the low-risk group had noticeable immune cell infiltration and was more likely to benefit from immunotherapy. In conclusion, we established a new classification system for LUAD based on the ICD signature. This stratification can notably guide clinical practice for assessment of patient prognosis as well as potential immunotherapy for patients with LUAD.