Single-cell analysis of breast cancer metastasis reveals epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity signatures associated with poor outcomes.

ABSTRACT: Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. It is unclear how intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) contributes to metastasis and how metastatic cells adapt to distant tissue environments. The study of these adaptations is challenged by the limited access to patient material and a lack of experimental models that appropriately recapitulate ITH. To investigate metastatic cell adaptations and the contribution of ITH to metastasis, we analyzed single-cell transcriptomes of matched primary tumors and metastases from patient-derived xenograft models of breast cancer. We found profound transcriptional differences between the primary tumor and metastatic cells. Primary tumors upregulated several metabolic genes, whereas motility pathway genes were upregulated in micrometastases, and stress

SUBMITTER: Winkler J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11364385 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature