Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40340807›Full record

ArticleBreast cancer research : BCR2025

Circulating immune cells exhibit distinct traits linked to metastatic burden in breast cancer.

S Mangiola, R Brown, C Zhan, J Berthelet, S Guleria, C Liyanage, S Ostrouska, J Wilcox, M Merdas, P Fuge-Larsen and 14 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Breast cancer research : BCR, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
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  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

24 authors.

S MangiolaThe Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia. Stefano.mangiola@adelaide.edu.au.
R BrownSchool of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
C ZhanSouth Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
J BertheletSchool of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
S GuleriaSchool of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
C LiyanageSchool of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
S OstrouskaSchool of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
J WilcoxSchool of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
M MerdasSchool of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
P Fuge-LarsenSchool of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
C BellSchool of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
J SchröderPeter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
L A MielkeSchool of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
J M MariadasonSchool of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
S Chang-Hao TsaoOlivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.
Y ChenThe Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
V K YadavRutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
S VodalaBoehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc, Ridgefield, USA.
R L AndersonSchool of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
D MerinoSchool of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
A BehrenSchool of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
B Yeo *Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.
A T Papenfuss *The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia. papenfuss@wehi.edu.au.
B Pal *School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia. bhupinder.pal@onjcri.org.au.

Funding

National Breast Cancer Foundation IIRS-19-082National Breast Cancer Foundation IIRS-23-016National Health and Medical Research Council 1116955National Health and Medical Research Council 2012196Victorian Cancer Agency ECRF21036Victorian Cancer Agency MCRF21002Victorian Cancer Agency MCRF21011
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCirculating immune cells play a crucial role in the anti-tumour immune response, yet the systemic immune system in metastatic breast cancers is not fully characterised. Investigating the cellular and molecular changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from breast cancer patients could elucidate the role of circulating immune cells in metastasis and aid in identifying biomarkers for disease burden and progression.

methodsIn this study, we characterised the systemic immune landscape associated with varying levels of metastatic burden by analysing the single-cell transcriptomes of PBMCs from breast cancer patients and healthy controls. Our research focused on identifying changes in immune cell composition, transcriptional programs, and immune-cell communication networks linked to metastatic burden. Additionally, we compared these PBMC features onto a single-cell atlas of primary breast tumours to study corresponding traits in tumour-infiltrating immune cells.

resultsIn metastatic breast cancer, PBMCs exhibit a significant downregulation of the adaptive immune system and a decreased number and activity of unconventional T cells, such as γδ T cells. Additionally, metastatic burden is associated with impaired cell communication pathways involved in immunomodulatory functions. We also identified a gene signature derived from myeloid cells shared between tumour immune infiltrates and circulating immune cells in breast cancer patients.

conclusionsOur study provides a comprehensive single-cell molecular profile of the peripheral immune system in breast cancer, offering a valuable resource for understanding metastatic disease in terms of tumour burden. By identifying immune traits linked to metastasis, we have unveiled potential new biomarkers of metastatic disease.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsLeukocytes, MononuclearBiomarkers, TumorFemaleGene Expression ProfilingGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansLymphocytes, Tumor-InfiltratingNeoplasm MetastasisSingle-Cell AnalysisTranscriptomeTumor MicroenvironmentBiomarkers, TumorBreast cancerMetastasisPBMCsSingle-cell RNA sequencing

Identifiers

PMID40340807
PMCPMC12063295

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Registered trials

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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.