Single-cell and spatial transcriptome analyses reveal tertiary lymphoid structures linked to tumour progression and immunotherapy response in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

ABSTRACT: Tertiary lymphoid structures are immune cell aggregates linked with cancer outcomes, but their interactions with tumour cell aggregates are unclear. Using nasopharyngeal carcinoma as a model, here we analyse single-cell transcriptomes of 343,829 cells from 77 biopsy and blood samples and spatially-resolved transcriptomes of 31,316 spots from 15 tumours to decipher their components and interactions with tumour cell aggregates. We identify essential cell populations in tertiary lymphoid structure, including CXCL13⁺ cancer-associated fibroblasts, stem-like CXCL13⁺CD8⁺ T cells, and B and T follicular helper cells. Our study shows that germinal centre reaction matures plasma cells. These plasma cells intersperse with tumour cell aggregates, promoting apoptosis o

SUBMITTER: Liu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11375053 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature