TCF21high pericyte subpopulation promotes cancer metastasis by remodeling perivascular matrix
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ABSTRACT: The role of perivascular cell heterogeneity in tumor metastasis remains unknown. Here, we dissected the heterogeneity of perivascular cells by single-cell RNA sequencing and defined 13 subpopulations of pericytes within human colorectal cancers (CRC). Among them, an extracellular matrix (ECM)-rich subpopulation of TCF21high tumor pericytes (TPCs) was identified, which highly correlated with metastatic potentials in human CRC patients. Pericyte-specific conditional deletion of Tcf21 in mice mitigated CRC metastasis by decreasing perivascular ECM resmodeling, maintaining the integrity of the basement membrane, and reducing circulating cancer cells. Conversely, co-injection of CRC cells with TCF21high TPCs markedly promoted metastasis. Mechanistically, high expression of TCF21 in TPCs altered ECM stiffness, collagen deposition/rearrangement, and basement membrane degradation, which collectively instigated tumor cell intravasation and metastasis. Compelling experimental evidence showed that the loss of integrin α5 activated the FAK/PI3K/AKT axis, impaired DNA hypermethylation of TCF21, leading to high expression of TCF21 in TPCs. Our data provide new mechanistic insights into functions of a specific subpopulation of perivascular cells in promoting cancer metastasis and therapeutic targeting of metastasis-promoting TPCs may provide a new paradigm for cancer therapy.
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE199726 | GEO | 2023/03/01
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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