LOX⁺ iCAFs in HNSCC have the potential to predict prognosis and immunotherapy responses revealed by single cell RNA sequencing analysis.

ABSTRACT: Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) exhibit significant heterogeneity and are closely associated with progression, resistance to anticancer therapies, and poor prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the specific functional role of CAFs in HNSCC has been inadequately explored. In this study, we utilized a single-cell RNA sequencing dataset from HNSCC (GSE103322) to recluster CAFs via the Seurat pipeline. On the basis of the reported markers, we identified two CAF subtypes, LOX-myCAFs and LOX + iCAFs, and generated signature markers for each. Through unsupervised consensus clustering, we identified and characterized two molecular subtypes of HNSCC-TCGA, each exhibiting distinct dysregulated cancer hallmarks, immunological tumor microenvironments, and stemnes

SUBMITTER: Liu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11868481 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature