Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis revealed the immunosuppressive remodeling of tumor-associated macrophages mediated by the MIF-CD74 axis in gastric cancer.

ABSTRACT: Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are pivotal immunosuppressive components of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in gastric cancer (GC), yet their heterogeneity and metabolic crosstalk with tumor cells remain poorly understood. Here, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on 75,743 cells from 11 GC tissues and identified four distinct TAM subsets (TAM-APOE, TAM-IDO1, TAM-SKAP1, TAM-POLB), each exhibiting unique functional signatures. Among these, the TAM-APOE subset, enriched in lipid metabolism and complement pathways, showed the strongest interaction with tumor cells via the MIF-CD74 axis. Functional studies revealed that GC-derived MIF promotes TAM-APOE polarization, upregulating immunosuppressive genes and enhancing tumor progression. In vivo, MIF overexpression in GC cell

SUBMITTER: Liu W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12290046 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature