Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a highly aggressive biliary epithelial malignancy. The median survival time of GBC patients was less than 1 year. Tumor invasion and metastasis are the major cause of high mortality of GBC patients. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in GBC metastases are still unclear.Methods
We performed 10X genomics single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on GBC liver metastasis tissue to evaluate the characteristics of the GBC liver metastasis microenvironment.Results
In this study, 8 cell types, a total of 7,788 cells, including T cells, B cells, malignant cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), and mast cells were identified. Malignant cells displayed a high degree of intratumor heterogenicity, while neutrophils were found to promote GBC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, cytotoxic cluster of differentiation (CD8+) T cells became exhausted and CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) exhibited immunosuppressive characteristics. Macrophages played an important role in the tumor microenvironment (TME). We identified three distinct macrophage subsets and emergent M2 polarization. We also found that cancer-associated fibroblasts exhibited heterogeneity and may be associated with GBC metastasis.Conclusions
Although preliminary in nature, our study provides a landscape view at the single-cell level. These results offer a unique perspective into understanding the liver metastasis of GBC.
SUBMITTER: Zhang Y
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8184464 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Zhang Yigang Y You Wen-Hua WH Li Xiangyu X Wang Peng P Sha Bowen B Liang Yuan Y Qiu Jiannan J Zhou Jinren J Hu Haoran H Lu Ling L
Annals of translational medicine 20210501 10
<h4>Background</h4>Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a highly aggressive biliary epithelial malignancy. The median survival time of GBC patients was less than 1 year. Tumor invasion and metastasis are the major cause of high mortality of GBC patients. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in GBC metastases are still unclear.<h4>Methods</h4>We performed 10X genomics single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on GBC liver metastasis tissue to evaluate the characteristics of the GBC liver metastasis mic ...[more]