# Integrative clinico-molecular analysis reveals actionable subtypes and biomarkers in lung adenocarcinoma

**Authors:** Jun Shang, He Jiang, Yueren Yan, Yue Zhao, Jingcheng Yang, Han Han, Hui Yuan, Leming Shi, Yuanting Zheng, Haiquan Chen

PMC · DOI: 10.1038/s41421-025-00863-4 · 2026-01-28

## TL;DR

This study identifies four distinct lung adenocarcinoma subtypes with unique treatment responses and survival outcomes based on molecular and clinical data from 1008 Chinese patients.

## Contribution

The study introduces four LUAD subtypes with distinct prognostic and therapeutic profiles, including novel biomarkers like VOPP1 and RRM2B for TKI sensitivity and resistance.

## Key findings

- Four LUAD subtypes (LPI, IMD, IME, HPI) were identified with distinct clinical and molecular features.
- RRM2B amplification is strongly associated with TKI sensitivity and nearly 100% 5-year survival.
- The IME subtype shows high immune checkpoint activity and DYNC2H1 mutations, benefiting from immunotherapy.

## Abstract

Deeper insights into omics in the clinical and tumor microenvironments of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) could reveal therapy-sensitive subtypes and novel treatments. From a cohort of 1008 samples from Chinese patients with LUAD with whole-genome and transcriptome sequencing data along with comprehensive longitudinal clinical and therapeutic information, we identified four prognostically distinct subtypes, namely, low proliferation and invasion (LPI), immune-desert (IMD), immune-enriched (IME), and high proliferation and invasion (HPI), based on the transcriptomic features linked to the radiological, pathological, and microenvironmental dimensions. Compared with chemotherapy, tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy demonstrated significantly superior efficacy for LPI and IMD, whereas no such difference was observed for HPI. VOPP1 and RRM2B amplification were closely associated with TKI resistance and sensitivity, respectively. VOPP1 knockdown restored sensitivity to TKI treatment, while RRM2B knockdown induced TKI resistance, and its overexpression restored sensitivity. Patients with RRM2B amplification had a 5-year survival rate of nearly 100%. Additionally, the IME subtype exhibited higher immune checkpoint activity and a higher frequency of DYNC2H1 mutation, with patients benefiting from immunotherapy. These findings provide critical insights into LUAD treatment optimization.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** VOPP1 (VOPP1 WW domain binding protein) [NCBI Gene 81552], RRM2B (ribonucleotide reductase regulatory TP53 inducible subunit M2B) [NCBI Gene 50484], DYNC2H1 (dynein cytoplasmic 2 heavy chain 1) [NCBI Gene 79659]
- **Diseases:** lung adenocarcinoma (MONDO:0005061)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** Vwf (Von Willebrand factor) [NCBI Gene 22371] {aka 6820430P06Rik, B130011O06Rik, C630030D09, F8VWF, VWD}, CA9 (carbonic anhydrase 9) [NCBI Gene 768] {aka CAIX, MN}, S100P (S100 calcium binding protein P) [NCBI Gene 6286] {aka MIG9}, RRM2B (ribonucleotide reductase regulatory TP53 inducible subunit M2B) [NCBI Gene 50484] {aka MTDPS8A, MTDPS8B, P53R2, RCDFRD}, ID3 (inhibitor of DNA binding 3) [NCBI Gene 3399] {aka HEIR-1, bHLHb25}, Ager (advanced glycosylation end product-specific receptor) [NCBI Gene 11596] {aka RAGE}, AKT1 (AKT serine/threonine kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 207] {aka AKT, PKB, PKB-ALPHA, PRKBA, RAC, RAC-ALPHA}, HPVC1 [NCBI Gene 3262], Cd8b1 (CD8 subunit beta 1) [NCBI Gene 12526] {aka Cd8b, Ly-3, Ly-C, Lyt-3}, Aif1 (allograft inflammatory factor 1) [NCBI Gene 11629] {aka AIF-1, D17H6S50E, G1, Iba1}, PIK3CB (phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit beta) [NCBI Gene 5291] {aka P110BETA, PI3K, PI3KBETA, PIK3C1}, ROS1 (ROS proto-oncogene 1, receptor tyrosine kinase) [NCBI Gene 6098] {aka MCF3, ROS, c-ros-1}, PIGR (polymeric immunoglobulin receptor) [NCBI Gene 5284], PALM3 (paralemmin 3) [NCBI Gene 342979], Cpa3 (carboxypeptidase A3, mast cell) [NCBI Gene 12873] {aka MC-CPA}, Cd8a (CD8 subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 12525] {aka Ly-2, Ly-35, Ly-B, Lyt-2}, MMP1 (matrix metallopeptidase 1) [NCBI Gene 4312] {aka CLG}, SLTM (SAFB like transcription modulator) [NCBI Gene 79811] {aka Met}, CD274 (CD274 molecule) [NCBI Gene 29126] {aka ADMIO5, B7-H, B7H1, PD-L1, PDCD1L1, PDCD1LG1}, CTLA4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4) [NCBI Gene 1493] {aka ALPS5, CD, CD152, CELIAC3, CTLA-4, GRD4}, RET (ret proto-oncogene) [NCBI Gene 5979] {aka CDHF12, CDHR16, HSCR1, MEN2A, MEN2B, MTC1}, SCGB3A1 (secretoglobin family 3A member 1) [NCBI Gene 92304] {aka HIN-1, HIN1, LU105, PnSP-2, UGRP2}, C16orf89 (chromosome 16 open reading frame 89) [NCBI Gene 146556], Cd19 (CD19 antigen) [NCBI Gene 12478], BRAF (B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase) [NCBI Gene 673] {aka B-RAF1, B-raf, BRAF-1, BRAF1, NS7, RAFB1}, VPS28 (VPS28 subunit of ESCRT-I) [NCBI Gene 51160] {aka CIIA}, Cd38 (CD38 antigen) [NCBI Gene 12494] {aka ADPRC 1, Cd38-rs1, I-19}, Klrd1 (killer cell lectin-like receptor, subfamily D, member 1) [NCBI Gene 16643] {aka CD94}, CYP4B1 (cytochrome P450 family 4 subfamily B member 1) [NCBI Gene 1580] {aka CYPIVB1, P-450HP}, ERBB2 (erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2) [NCBI Gene 2064] {aka CD340, HER-2, HER-2/neu, HER2, MLN 19, MLN-19}, Ifi27 (interferon, alpha-inducible protein 27) [NCBI Gene 52668] {aka 1110013J02Rik, 2900026P10Rik, D12Ertd647e, ISG12a, Ifi27l1}, Cd79a (CD79A antigen (immunoglobulin-associated alpha)) [NCBI Gene 12518] {aka Ig-alpha, Iga, Igalpha, Ly-54, Ly54, mb-1}, MAP2K1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 5604] {aka CFC3, MAPKK1, MEK1, MEL, MKK1, PRKMK1}, ALK (ALK receptor tyrosine kinase) [NCBI Gene 238] {aka ALK1, CD246, NBLST3}, HLA-A (major histocompatibility complex, class I, A) [NCBI Gene 3105] {aka HLAA}, TSNARE1 (t-SNARE domain containing 1) [NCBI Gene 203062], PDCD1 (programmed cell death 1) [NCBI Gene 5133] {aka ADMIO4, AIMTBS, CD279, PD-1, PD1, SLEB2}, CRABP2 (cellular retinoic acid binding protein 2) [NCBI Gene 1382] {aka CRABP-II, RBP6}, VOPP1 (VOPP1 WW domain binding protein) [NCBI Gene 81552] {aka ECOP, GASP, WBP1L2}, CP (ceruloplasmin) [NCBI Gene 1356] {aka AB073614, CP-2}, AGR2 (anterior gradient 2, protein disulphide isomerase family member) [NCBI Gene 10551] {aka AG-2, AG2, GOB-4, HAG-2, HEL-S-116, HPC8}, KRAS (KRAS proto-oncogene, GTPase) [NCBI Gene 3845] {aka 'C-K-RAS, C-K-RAS, CFC2, K-RAS2A, K-RAS2B, K-RAS4A}, Cd3d (CD3 antigen, delta polypeptide) [NCBI Gene 12500] {aka T3d}, Nkg7 (natural killer cell group 7 sequence) [NCBI Gene 72310] {aka 2500004F03Rik}, Foxp3 (forkhead box P3) [NCBI Gene 20371] {aka JM2, scurfin, sf}, Cd3e (CD3 antigen, epsilon polypeptide) [NCBI Gene 12501] {aka CD3, CD3epsilon, T3e}, TP53 (tumor protein p53) [NCBI Gene 7157] {aka BCC7, BMFS5, LFS1, P53, TRP53}, DYNC2H1 (dynein cytoplasmic 2 heavy chain 1) [NCBI Gene 79659] {aka ATD3, DHC1b, DHC2, DNCH2, DYH1B, SRPS2B}, FCGR3A (Fc gamma receptor IIIa) [NCBI Gene 2214] {aka CD16-II, CD16A, FCG3, FCGR3, FCRIIIA, FcGRIIIA}, Cd4 (CD4 antigen) [NCBI Gene 12504] {aka L3T4, Ly-4}, MUC5B (mucin 5B, oligomeric mucus/gel-forming) [NCBI Gene 727897] {aka MG1, MUC-5B, MUC5, MUC9}, Cd2 (CD2 antigen) [NCBI Gene 12481] {aka LFA-2, Ly-37, Ly37}, LRRC14 (leucine rich repeat containing 14) [NCBI Gene 9684] {aka LRRC14A}, EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) [NCBI Gene 1956] {aka ERBB, ERBB1, ERRP, HER1, NISBD2, NNCIS}, S100A9 (S100 calcium binding protein A9) [NCBI Gene 6280] {aka 60B8AG, CAGB, CFAG, CGLB, L1AG, LIAG}, CD8A (CD8 subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 925] {aka CD8, CD8alpha, IMD116, Leu2, p32}, Col1a2 (collagen, type I, alpha 2) [NCBI Gene 12843] {aka Col1a-2, Cola-2, Cola2, oim}, Ms4a2 (membrane-spanning 4-domains, subfamily A, member 2) [NCBI Gene 14126] {aka FcRB, Fce1b, Fcer1b, Fcrbeta, Ms4a1, fcERI}, MUC21 (mucin 21, cell surface associated) [NCBI Gene 394263] {aka C6orf205, KMQK697, MUC-21}, XAGE1A (X antigen family member 1A) [NCBI Gene 653220] {aka CT12.1, CT12.1A, CT12.1B, CTP9, GAGED2, XAGE-1}
- **Diseases:** lepidic adenocarcinoma (MESH:D000230), T1-4N0M0 (MESH:C538397), cancer (MESH:D009369), AIS (MESH:D013734), CNV (MESH:D000092342), lymph node metastasis (MESH:D008207), solid (MESH:D018250), HPI (MESH:C565054), GGO (MESH:C000721427), LUAD (MESH:D000077192), inflammatory (MESH:D007249), LPI (MESH:D009800), mycoplasma (MESH:D009175), stage II-IV disease (MESH:D007676), hypoxia (MESH:D000860), IMD (MESH:D007154), glands (MESH:D000307), AIS/MIA (MESH:D065311), bone metastasis (MESH:D009362)
- **Chemicals:** citrate (MESH:D019343), xylene (MESH:D014992), GGO (-), isopropanol (MESH:D019840), agarose (MESH:D012685), DAPI (MESH:C007293), formaldehyde (MESH:D005557), H2O2 (MESH:D006861), alcohol (MESH:D000438), crystal violet (MESH:D005840), osimertinib (MESH:C000596361), hematoxylin (MESH:D006416), gefitinib (MESH:D000077156), CO2 (MESH:D002245), paraffin (MESH:D010232), PBS (MESH:D007854), Lipofectamine (MESH:C086724), decitabine (MESH:D000077209), ethanol (MESH:D000431), EDTA (MESH:D004492), chloroform (MESH:D002725)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Nicotiana tabacum (American tobacco, species) [taxon 4097], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090]
- **Mutations:** p.G12C, EGFRT790M, p.G719, exon 19 del, p.L861Q, p.V600E, L858R, p.S768I
- **Cell lines:** PC-9 — Homo sapiens (Human), Lung adenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_B260), CVCL_B260 — Homo sapiens (Human), Finite cell line (CVCL_L934), -1000 — Homo sapiens (Human), Maple syrup urine disease, Finite cell line (CVCL_CX07)

## Figures

7 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12852120/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12852120