Single-cell atlas of the esophageal squamous cell carcinoma immune ecosystem to predict immunotherapy response.

ABSTRACT: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) evolves within a highly interactive tumor microenvironment (TME) that shapes therapeutic response. We utilized mass cytometry to analyze over 10 million cells from 25 ESCC tumors, 24 adjacent nontumor tissues, and 23 peripheral blood samples, employing an extensive panel of 42 immune markers. The resulting atlas reveals a compartmentalized landscape with a reproducible paucity of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ central memory T cells (TCM) in tumor sites. Reintroduction of patient-derived TCMs restored antitumor immunity in coculture assays, demonstrating their cytotoxic capacity in vitro and suggesting their potential relevance for future therapeutic exploration. Myeloid profiling identified PD-L1⁺ tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) as correlates of clinical benef

SUBMITTER: Chen X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12536040 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature