Zhou H, He X, Huang J, Zhong Y, Zhang L, Ao X, Zhao H, Hu S, Li H, Huang J, Huang H, Liang H. Single-cell sequencing reveals the immune landscape of breast cancer patients with brain metastasis.
Thorac Cancer 2024;
15:702-714. [PMID:
38316626 PMCID:
PMC10961220 DOI:
10.1111/1759-7714.15243]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Breast cancer has the highest incidence rate of cancer worldwide, and brain metastases (BrM) are among the most malignant cases. While some patients have benefited from immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), the complex anatomical structure of the brain and the heterogeneity of metastatic tumors have made it difficult to characterize the tumor immune microenvironment (TME) of metastatic tumors.
METHODS
To address this, we used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to analyze immune cells in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of BrM patients with breast cancer, thereby providing a comprehensive view of the immune microenvironment landscape of BrM.
RESULTS
Based on canonical marker genes, we identified nine cell types, and further identified their subtypes through differential expression gene (DEG) analysis. We compared the changes in cells and functions in the immune microenvironment of patients with different prognoses. Our analysis revealed a series of genes that promote tumor immune function (CCR5, LYZ, IGKC, MS4A1, etc.) and inhibit tumor immune function (SCGB2A2, CD24, etc.).
CONCLUSIONS
The scRNA-seq in CSF provides a noninvasive method to describe the TME of breast cancer patients and guide immunotherapy.
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