Dataset Information

Single-cell transcriptional profiling reveals the heterogenicity in colorectal cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is a highly heterogeneous disease. RNA profiles of bulk tumors have enabled transcriptional classification of CRC. However, such ways of sequencing can only target a cell colony and obscure the signatures of distinct cell populations. Alternatively, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), which can provide unbiased analysis of all cell types, opens the possibility to map cellular heterogeneity of CRC unbiasedly.

Methods

In this study, we utilized scRNA-seq to profile cells from cancer tissue of a CRC patient. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were performed to understand the roles of genes within the clusters.

Results and conclusion

The 2824 cells were analyzed and categorized into 5 distinct clusters by scRNA-seq. For every cluster, specific cell markers can be applied, indicating each 1 of them different from another. We discovered that the tumor of CRC displayed a clear sign of heterogenicity, while genes within each cluster serve different functions. GO term analysis also stated that different cluster's relatedness towards the tumor of CRC differs. Three clusters participate in peripheral works in cells, including, energy transport, extracellular matrix generation, etc; Genes in other 2 clusters participate more in immunology processes. Lastly, trajectory plot analysis also supports the viewpoint, in that some clusters present in different states and pseudo-time, while others present in a single state or pseudo time. Our analysis provides more insight into the heterogeneity of CRC, which can provide assistance to further researches on this topic.

SUBMITTER: Dai W

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6716720 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Single-cell transcriptional profiling reveals the heterogenicity in colorectal cancer.

Dai Weier W Zhou Fangbin F Tang Donge D Lin Liewen L Zou Chang C Tan Wenyong W Dai Yong Y

Medicine 20190801 34

<h4>Background</h4>Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is a highly heterogeneous disease. RNA profiles of bulk tumors have enabled transcriptional classification of CRC. However, such ways of sequencing can only target a cell colony and obscure the signatures of distinct cell populations. Alternatively, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), which can provide unbiased analysis of all cell types, opens the possibility to map cellular heterogeneity of CRC unbiasedly.<h4>Methods</h4>In this study, we utilized ...[more]

PMID: 31441872

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Project description:BackgroundTo improve cancer therapy, it is critical to target metastasizing cells. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are rare cells found in the blood of patients with solid tumors and may play a key role in cancer dissemination. Uncovering CTC phenotypes offers a potential avenue to inform treatment. However, CTC transcriptional profiling is limited by leukocyte contamination; an approach to surmount this problem is single cell analysis. Here we demonstrate feasibility of performing high dimensional single CTC profiling, providing early insight into CTC heterogeneity and allowing comparisons to breast cancer cell lines widely used for drug discovery.Methodology/principal findingsWe purified CTCs using the MagSweeper, an immunomagnetic enrichment device that isolates live tumor cells from unfractionated blood. CTCs that met stringent criteria for further analysis were obtained from 70% (14/20) of primary and 70% (21/30) of metastatic breast cancer patients; none were captured from patients with non-epithelial cancer (n = 20) or healthy subjects (n = 25). Microfluidic-based single cell transcriptional profiling of 87 cancer-associated and reference genes showed heterogeneity among individual CTCs, separating them into two major subgroups, based on 31 highly expressed genes. In contrast, single cells from seven breast cancer cell lines were tightly clustered together by sample ID and ER status. CTC profiles were distinct from those of cancer cell lines, questioning the suitability of such lines for drug discovery efforts for late stage cancer therapy.Conclusions/significanceFor the first time, we directly measured high dimensional gene expression in individual CTCs without the common practice of pooling such cells. Elevated transcript levels of genes associated with metastasis NPTN, S100A4, S100A9, and with epithelial mesenchymal transition: VIM, TGFß1, ZEB2, FOXC1, CXCR4, were striking compared to cell lines. Our findings demonstrate that profiling CTCs on a cell-by-cell basis is possible and may facilitate the application of 'liquid biopsies' to better model drug discovery.

Dataset Information

Single-cell transcriptional profiling reveals the heterogenicity in colorectal cancer.

Background

Methods

Results and conclusion

Publications

Single-cell transcriptional profiling reveals the heterogenicity in colorectal cancer.

Similar Datasets

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