Application of single-cell sequencing to the research of tumor microenvironment

Sijie Chen; Zhiqing Zhou; Yu Li; Yuhui Du; Guoan Chen

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2023.1285540

Application of single-cell sequencing to the research of tumor microenvironment

Front Immunol. 2023 Oct 27:14:1285540. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1285540. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Sijie Chen¹, Zhiqing Zhou¹, Yu Li¹, Yuhui Du¹, Guoan Chen¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Human Cell Biology and Genetics, Joint Laboratory of Guangdong-Hong Kong Universities for Vascular Homeostasis and Diseases, School of Medicine, Southern University of Scienece and Technology, Shenzhen, China.

Abstract

Single-cell sequencing is a technique for detecting and analyzing genomes, transcriptomes, and epigenomes at the single-cell level, which can detect cellular heterogeneity lost in conventional sequencing hybrid samples, and it has revolutionized our understanding of the genetic heterogeneity and complexity of tumor progression. Moreover, the tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role in the formation, development and response to treatment of tumors. The application of single-cell sequencing has ushered in a new age for the TME analysis, revealing not only the blueprint of the pan-cancer immune microenvironment, but also the heterogeneity and differentiation routes of immune cells, as well as predicting tumor prognosis. Thus, the combination of single-cell sequencing and the TME analysis provides a unique opportunity to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor development and progression. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in single-cell sequencing and the TME analysis, highlighting their potential applications in cancer research and clinical translation.

Keywords: clinical applications; immunological therapy; precision medicine; single-cell sequencing; tumor microenvironment.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cell Differentiation
Epigenome
Humans
Neoplasms* / genetics
Transcriptome
Tumor Microenvironment* / genetics

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Shenzhen Municipal Science and Technology Innovation Commission Foundation (JCYJ20210324104800001, JCYJ20220530114415036 to GC); the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (32070625 to GC).