Title:Single-Cell Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the M2 Macrophages and Exhausted T
Cells and Intratumoral Heterogeneity in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Volume: 22
Issue: 2
Author(s): Lingyun Xu and Chen Li*
Affiliation:
- Department of Hematology, Fuyang People’s Hospital (Anhui Medical University, Affiliated Fuyang People’s Hospital), No.501,
Sanqing Road, Fuyang City, Anhui Province, 236000, China
Keywords:
Single-cell transcriptome, immune ecosystem, triple-negative breast cancer, activated macrophages, exhausted CD8+ T cells, immunosuppressive checkpoint.
Abstract: Background: Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is a highly heterogeneous and invasive malignancy
that is characterized by high recurrence and mortality rates as well as extremely poor prognosis.
Objective: The objective of this study is to analyze T cells and Macrophages in the tumor microenvironment
with the aim of identifying targets with therapeutic potential.
Methods: Single-cell sequencing data of TNBC patients from the GSE118389 dataset were analyzed to examine
the immune environment and intratumoral heterogeneity of TNBC patients.
Results: Polarized alternatively activated macrophages (M2) and exhausted CD8+ T cells were identified in
TNBC patients. Immunosuppressive checkpoint analysis revealed that levels of lymphocyte-activation gene 3
(LAG3) and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (TIM-3) of exhausted T cells were
significantly higher than levels of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyteassociated
protein 4 (CTLA-4). This indicates that these markers are potential immunotherapy targets. Furthermore,
analysis of significantly altered immune cell markers showed that several markers were associated with
the prognosis of TNBC.
Conclusion: Overall, these findings demonstrate inter-tissue heterogeneity of TNBC, and provides novel therapeutic
targets for the treatment of TNBC.