Single-cell profiling reveals that SAA1+ epithelial cells promote distant metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
IntroductionEsophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common cancers globally, with significant cell heterogeneity and poor prognosis. Distant metastasis in ESCC is one of the key factors that affects the prognosis of patients.Methods and resultsStarting with the analysis of ESCC...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-12-01
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Series: | Frontiers in Oncology |
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Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.1099271/full |
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author | Zhao Shu Junfeng Guo Qian Xue Qi Tang Bingqiang Zhang |
author_facet | Zhao Shu Junfeng Guo Qian Xue Qi Tang Bingqiang Zhang |
author_sort | Zhao Shu |
collection | DOAJ |
description | IntroductionEsophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common cancers globally, with significant cell heterogeneity and poor prognosis. Distant metastasis in ESCC is one of the key factors that affects the prognosis of patients.Methods and resultsStarting with the analysis of ESCC single-cell sequencing data, we constructed a single-cell atlas of ESCC in detail and clarified the cell heterogeneity within tumor tissues. Through analysis of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) levels, gene expression, and pathway activation, we revealed the existence of a novel subpopulation of SAA1+ malignant cells in ESCC that are highly aggressive and closely associated with distant metastasis of ESCC. In vitro wound healing and transwell assays confirmed a strong invasion capacity of ESCC tumor cells with high expression of SAA1. Then, we constructed an effective and reliable prediction model based on the gene expression pattern of SAA1+ malignant cell subpopulations and confirmed that patients in the high-risk group had significantly worse prognosis than those in the low-risk group in the training cohort, internal verification cohort and external verification cohort.DiscussionThis manuscript contributes to exploration of the heterogeneity of ESCC tumor tissues and the search for new ESCC subpopulations with special biological functions. These results contribute to our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of distant metastasis of ESCC and thus provide a theoretical basis for improved therapies. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:27:55Z |
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institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2234-943X |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:27:55Z |
publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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series | Frontiers in Oncology |
spelling | doaj.art-5a9213be32e54195a90ada1e15e6eabf2022-12-22T04:23:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2022-12-011210.3389/fonc.2022.10992711099271Single-cell profiling reveals that SAA1+ epithelial cells promote distant metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinomaZhao Shu0Junfeng Guo1Qian Xue2Qi Tang3Bingqiang Zhang4Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Orthopaedics/Sports Medicine Center, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaIntroductionEsophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common cancers globally, with significant cell heterogeneity and poor prognosis. Distant metastasis in ESCC is one of the key factors that affects the prognosis of patients.Methods and resultsStarting with the analysis of ESCC single-cell sequencing data, we constructed a single-cell atlas of ESCC in detail and clarified the cell heterogeneity within tumor tissues. Through analysis of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) levels, gene expression, and pathway activation, we revealed the existence of a novel subpopulation of SAA1+ malignant cells in ESCC that are highly aggressive and closely associated with distant metastasis of ESCC. In vitro wound healing and transwell assays confirmed a strong invasion capacity of ESCC tumor cells with high expression of SAA1. Then, we constructed an effective and reliable prediction model based on the gene expression pattern of SAA1+ malignant cell subpopulations and confirmed that patients in the high-risk group had significantly worse prognosis than those in the low-risk group in the training cohort, internal verification cohort and external verification cohort.DiscussionThis manuscript contributes to exploration of the heterogeneity of ESCC tumor tissues and the search for new ESCC subpopulations with special biological functions. These results contribute to our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of distant metastasis of ESCC and thus provide a theoretical basis for improved therapies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.1099271/fullesophageal squamous cell carcinomametastasisscRNA-seqSAA1prognosis |
spellingShingle | Zhao Shu Junfeng Guo Qian Xue Qi Tang Bingqiang Zhang Single-cell profiling reveals that SAA1+ epithelial cells promote distant metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma Frontiers in Oncology esophageal squamous cell carcinoma metastasis scRNA-seq SAA1 prognosis |
title | Single-cell profiling reveals that SAA1+ epithelial cells promote distant metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma |
title_full | Single-cell profiling reveals that SAA1+ epithelial cells promote distant metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma |
title_fullStr | Single-cell profiling reveals that SAA1+ epithelial cells promote distant metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma |
title_full_unstemmed | Single-cell profiling reveals that SAA1+ epithelial cells promote distant metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma |
title_short | Single-cell profiling reveals that SAA1+ epithelial cells promote distant metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma |
title_sort | single cell profiling reveals that saa1 epithelial cells promote distant metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma |
topic | esophageal squamous cell carcinoma metastasis scRNA-seq SAA1 prognosis |
url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.1099271/full |
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