Patient stratification of clear cell renal cell carcinoma using the global transcription factor activity landscape derived from RNA-seq data

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma represents the most common type of kidney cancer. Precision medicine approach to ccRCC requires an accurate stratification of patients that can predict prognosis and guide therapeutic decision. Transcription factors are implicated in the initiation and progression of human carcinogenesis. However, no comprehensive analysis of transcription factor activity has been proposed so far to realize patient stratification. Here we propose a novel approach to determine the subtypes of ccRCC patients based on global transcription factor activity landscape. Using the TCGA cohort dataset, we identified different subtypes that have distinct upregulated biomarkers and altered biological pathways. More important, this subtype information can be used to predict the overall survival of ccRCC patients. Our results suggest that transcription factor activity can be harnessed to perform patient stratification.