Among the top-5 hub genes related to the prognosis of RCC, PNKP is related to DDR, especially for base excision repair, IRF3 is related to the antiviral response by inducing the interferon signaling, involving with the other hub gene in the same module shown in Fig 3, DDX41, which is shown to be required for triggering the interferon signaling in cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes-IRF3 cascade through DNA sensor [54, 55]. This evidence concerns the gene PNKP and renal cell carcinoma.