Single-cell transcriptomic analysis deciphers heterogenous cancer stem-like cells in colorectal cancer and their organ-specific metastasis.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Metastasis is the major cause of cancer death. However, what types of heterogenous cancer cells in primary tumour and how they metastasise to the target organs remain largely undiscovered.

Design

We performed single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomic analysis in primary colorectal cancer (CRC) and metastases in the liver (lCRC) or ovary (oCRC). We also conducted immunofluorescence staining and functional experiments to examine the mechanism.

Results

Integrative analyses of epithelial cells reveal a stem-like cell cluster with high protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type O (PTPRO) and achaete scute-like 2 (ASCL2) expression as the metastatic culprit. This cell cluster comprising distinct subpopulations shows distinct

SUBMITTER: Li R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10894846 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature