Spatial analysis of a complete DIPG-infiltrated brainstem reveals novel ligand-receptor mediators of tumour-to-TME crosstalk.

ABSTRACT: Previous studies have highlighted the capacity of brain cancer cells to functionally interact with the tumour microenvironment (TME). This TME-cancer crosstalk crucially contributes to tumour cell invasion and disease progression. In this study, we performed spatial transcriptomic sequencing analysis of a complete annotated tumour-infiltrated brainstem from a single diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) patient. Gene signatures from ten sequential tumour regions were analysed to assess mechanisms of disease progression and oncogenic interactions with the TME. We identified four distinct tumour subpopulations and assessed respective ligand-receptor pairs that actively promote DIPG tumour progression via crosstalk with endothelial, neuronal and immune cell communities. Our analysis found p

SUBMITTER: Kordowski A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11837654 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature