Fig. 5: Molecular characteristics of high-risk and low-risk groups.

a Bar plot showing the number of lncRNAs out of the nine lncRNAs in the signature that are enriched in that corresponding pathway by functional enrichment analyses based on GSEA. Permutation-based P value shows the statistical significance of the normalized enrichment score (NES). Adjustments for multiple comparisons were presented by false discovery rate (FDR). Significantly enriched pathways are defined as P < 0.05, FDR < 0.25, and absolute NES > 1. b Bubble plot of GSEA results of the nine lncRNAs with immunologically relevant pathways in LA-NPC patients of the discovery cohort (n = 38). The red color of the dots represents enrichment (P < 0.05, FDR < 0.25, absolute NES > 1), and the size of the dots represents absolute NES. Permutation-based P value shows the statistical significance of NES and adjustments for multiple comparisons were presented by FDR. c Circos plot showing the significantly enriched pathways between the high- and low-risk groups based on GSEA. The size of each sector represents the number of genes in the labeled pathway. The color of the outmost circle and inner bar plots represent the category of pathways. The size of the second outer circle represents the percentage of genes contributing to the enrichment score, and its color represents the magnitude of the statistical significance (shown as −log10 (P value)). The color of the third circle indicates that the labeled pathway is upregulated in the high- or low-risk group. The size of the inner bar plot shows the absolute NES. Permutation-based P value shows the statistical significance of NES and adjustments for multiple comparisons were presented by FDR. d Heatmap of differentially expressed immune-related genes between the high- and low-risk groups (Student’s two-sided t-test, P value < 0.05). FDR false discovery rate, NES normalized enrichment score. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.