ArticleeLife2021
Single-cell transcriptome analysis identifies a unique tumor cell type producing multiple hormones in ectopic ACTH and CRH secreting pheochromocytoma.
Article in eLife, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Ectopic ACTH Syndrome Caused by Pheochromocytoma: A Case Report and Systematic Review.Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets · 2026Pooled it
- Presentation of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A-associated ectopic cushing's syndrome: case report and a systematic review.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Pooled it
- Single-cell transcriptome analysis in ovarian steroid cell tumors-not otherwise specified.Journal of ovarian research · 2026Article
- Single-Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics Reframe the Immunosuppressive Microenvironment of Neuroendocrine Neoplasms.Cancers · 2026Review
- Single-Cell Transcriptomic Profiling of Ectopic ACTH-Secreting Pheochromocytoma Reveals the Chromaffin Cell Origin of Ectopic Hormone Production.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- Adrenal tumor microenvironment: hormone-immune crosstalk, molecular heterogeneity, and immunotherapeutic opportunities.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- NK/T cell lymphoma-induced ectopic ACTH syndrome: a case report.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Article
- Utility ofIrish veterinary journal · 2025Article
- Single-Cell Atlas Reveals Tumorigenic Profiles and Immune Dynamics of Adrenal Incidentalomas.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2025Article
- The role of cell cycle-related genes in the tumorigenesis of adrenal and thyroid neuroendocrine tumors.Heliyon · 2025Review
- Comprehensive mapping of somatotroph pituitary neuroendocrine tumour heterogeneity using spatial and single-cell transcriptomics.Clinical and translational medicine · 2024Article
- Cognitive subgroups of affective and non-affective psychosis show differences in medication and cortico-subcortical brain networks.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- [Endothelial cells and fibroblasts mediate the microenvironmental regulatory network of carotid body paraganglioma].Lin chuang er bi yan hou tou jing wai ke za zhi = Journal of clinical otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgery · 2024Article
- Review
- SCAR: Single-cell and Spatially-resolved Cancer Resources.Nucleic acids research · 2024Article
- A Laboratory Medicine Perspective on the Investigation of Phaeochromocytoma and Paraganglioma.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Unusual skin pigmentation after unilateral adrenalectomy due to pheochromocytoma: a case report.Gland surgery · 2023Article
- Article
- New Biology of Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma.Endocrine practice : official journal of the American College of Endocrinology and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists · 2022Review
- Ectopic ACTH-producing neuroendocrine tumor occurring with large recurrent metastatic pheochromocytoma: a case report.BMC endocrine disorders · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Ectopic Cushing's syndrome due to ectopic ACTH&CRH-secreting by pheochromocytoma is extremely rare and can be fatal if not properly diagnosed. It remains unclear whether a unique cell type is responsible for multiple hormones secreting. In this work, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing to three different anatomic tumor tissues and one peritumoral tissue based on a rare case with ectopic ACTH&CRH-secreting pheochromocytoma. And in addition to that, three adrenal tumor specimens from common pheochromocytoma and adrenocortical adenomas were also involved in the comparison of tumor cellular heterogeneity. A total of 16 cell types in the tumor microenvironment were identified by unbiased cell clustering of single-cell transcriptomic profiles from all specimens. Notably, we identified a novel multi-functionally chromaffin-like cell type with high expression of both POMC (the precursor of ACTH) and CRH, called ACTH+&CRH + pheochromocyte. We hypothesized that the molecular mechanism of the rare case harbor Cushing's syndrome is due to the identified novel tumor cell type, that is, the secretion of ACTH had a direct effect on the adrenal gland to produce cortisol, while the secretion of CRH can indirectly stimulate the secretion of ACTH from the anterior pituitary. Besides, a new potential marker (GAL) co-expressed with ACTH and CRH might be involved in the regulation of ACTH secretion. The immunohistochemistry results confirmed its multi-functionally chromaffin-like properties with positive staining for CRH, POMC, ACTH, GAL, TH, and CgA. Our findings also proved to some extent the heterogeneity of endothelial and immune microenvironment in different adrenal tumor subtypes.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.