Identification of Four Immune Subtypes Characterized by Distinct Composition and Functions of Tumor Microenvironment in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a severe malignant tumor in which the standard therapies are mostly ineffective. The biological significance of the desmoplastic tumor microenvironment (TME) of ICC has been stressed but was insufficiently taken into account in the search for classifications of ICC adapted to clinical trial design. We investigated the heterogeneous tumor stroma composition and built a TME-based classification of ICC tumors that detects potentially targetable ICC subtypes.

Approach and results

We established the bulk gene expression profiles of 78 ICCs. Epithelial and stromal compartments of 23 ICCs were laser microdissected. We quantified 14 gene expression signatures of the TME and those of 3 functional indicators (liver activity,

SUBMITTER: Job S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7589418 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature