Probing single-cell metabolism reveals prognostic value of highly metabolically active circulating stromal cells in prostate cancer.

ABSTRACT: Despite their important role in metastatic disease, no general method to detect circulating stromal cells (CStCs) exists. Here, we present the Metabolic Assay-Chip (MA-Chip) as a label-free, droplet-based microfluidic approach allowing single-cell extracellular pH measurement for the detection and isolation of highly metabolically active cells (hm-cells) from the tumor microenvironment. Single-cell mRNA-sequencing analysis of the hm-cells from metastatic prostate cancer patients revealed that approximately 10% were canonical EpCAM⁺ hm-CTCs, 3% were EpCAM^- hm-CTCs with up-regulation of prostate-related genes, and 87% were hm-CStCs with profiles characteristic for cancer-associated fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells, and endothelial cells. Kaplan-Meier analysis shows t

SUBMITTER: Rivello F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7527228 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature