Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41438751›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in immunology2025

Novel pan-cancer T cell exhaustion signature forecasts immunotherapy response and unveils BCAP31 in macrophages as a therapeutic target in neuroblastoma.

Shan Li, Jianjun Zhu, Xiang Huang, Fengming Ji, Jinrong Li, Zhigang Yao, Haoyu Tang, Ling Liu, Bing Yan, Chenghao Zhanghuang

Abstract read
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Article in Frontiers in immunology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Shan Li *Department of Urology, Kunming Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University), Kunming, China.
Jianjun Zhu *Department of Oncology, Kunming Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University), Kunming, China.
Xiang Huang *Department of Oncology, Kunming Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University), Kunming, China.
Fengming JiDepartment of Urology, Kunming Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University), Kunming, China.
Jinrong LiDepartment of Urology, Kunming Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University), Kunming, China.
Zhigang YaoDepartment of Urology, Kunming Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University), Kunming, China.
Haoyu TangDepartment of Urology, Kunming Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University), Kunming, China.
Ling LiuDepartment of Neonatology, Kunming Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University), Kunming, China.
Bing YanDepartment of Urology, Kunming Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University), Kunming, China.
Chenghao Zhanghuang *Department of Urology, Kunming Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University), Kunming, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Gaining insights into the molecular features associated with T cell exhaustion (TEX) can offer fresh perspectives on predicting treatment responses, and we aim to investigate TEX-related tumor associated macrophages (TAM) subset to deeply understand underlying mechanisms of immune exhaustion. Methods: We performed pan-cancer single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptomics RNA sequencing (stRNA-seq) analyses to investigate the subtype of TEX-associated TAMs, exploring its spatial distribution characteristics in context of immunotherapy. The pan-cancer scRNA-seq and RNA-seq datasets were incorporated to develop the STMN2+ Macrophage Signature (STMN2.SIG), which predicts immunotherapy response based on integrative machine learning techniques. Comprehensive scRNA-seq analysis, with Results: A macrophage subset, STMN2+ TAMs, and an epithelial subtype, S phase Sympathoblasts were identified as TEX-related cellular subpopulations. A higher proportion of STMN2+ TAMs was observed in non-responders compared to responders in pan-cancer immunotherapy landscape. Pan-cancer STMN2.SIG performed well in predicting immunotherapy response in pan-cancer cohorts, potentially linked to intercellular interactions between STMN2+ TAMs and CD8+ Tex cells. stRNA-seq analysis confirmed that interactions and cellular distances between STMN2+ TAMs and CD8+ Tex cells impact therapy efficacy. In a co-culture system, silencing BCAP31 on TAMs drives CD8+ T cells toward an effector state in NB. And BCAP31 on TAMs is associated with modulation of JAK2-STAT3 pathway in tumor cells. Conclusion: Our study provides pan-cancer STMN2.SIG as an outperforming approach for patient selection of immunotherapy, and advances our understanding of TAM biology and suggests potential therapeutic strategies for downregulation of BCAP31 in TAMs.

Indexed as

ButyrophilinsImmunotherapyMacrophagesNeuroblastomaT-LymphocytesTumor-Associated MacrophagesCell Line, TumorHumansSingle-Cell AnalysisT-Cell ExhaustionTumor MicroenvironmentButyrophilinsmachine learningmulti-omics analysisneuroblastomapan-cancer analysisT cell exhaustion

Identifiers

PMID41438751
PMCPMC12721133

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