Single-cell exome sequencing reveals multiple subclones in metastatic colorectal carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cancer type whose mechanism of metastasis remains elusive.

Methods

In this study, we characterised the evolutionary pattern of metastatic CRC (mCRC) by analysing bulk and single-cell exome sequencing data of primary and metastatic tumours from 7 CRC patients with liver metastases. Here, 7 CRC patients were analysed by bulk whole-exome sequencing (WES); 4 of these were also analysed using single-cell sequencing.

Results

Despite low genomic divergence between paired primary and metastatic cancers in the bulk data, single-cell WES (scWES) data revealed rare mutations and defined two separate cell populations, indicative of the diverse evolutionary trajectories between primary and metastatic tumour cells. We further identified

SUBMITTER: Tang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8434739 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature