Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42348034›Full record

ArticleDiscover oncology2026

Pan-cancer analysis identifies APOC1 as a TAM-derived modulator of adaptive immune resistance and predictor of therapeutic response.

Yang Yang, Leilei Fan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Discover oncology, 2026. 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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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Yang YangDepartment of Thoracic Lymphoma, The Central Hospital of Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Enshi, 445000, Hubei, China.
Leilei FanDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Central Hospital of Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Enshi, 445000, Hubei, China. ll1988827@163.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundApolipoprotein C1 (APOC1) has been implicated in several malignancies, yet its expression patterns, clinical significance, and immunomodulatory roles across cancer types remain poorly characterized.

methodsWe performed a comprehensive multi-omic analysis of APOC1 across 33 cancer types integrating transcriptomic, proteomic, genomic, epigenomic, and pharmacogenomic data from TCGA, GTEx, CPTAC, and multiple independent external cohorts. Immune infiltration was assessed using seven complementary algorithms. Spatial transcriptomics and single-cell RNA sequencing were employed to determine the cellular source of APOC1 expression.

resultsAPOC1 upregulation in most cancers was associated with cancer type-specific prognosis. After adjustment for clinical covariates and macrophage infiltration, high APOC1 remained an independent adverse factor in KIRC, LGG, and STAD. APOC1 expression positively correlated with genomic instability hallmarks, including homologous recombination deficiency and aneuploidy, with these associations largely independent of immune infiltration; in contrast, associations with tumor mutational burden were substantially confounded by macrophage abundance. Immune infiltration analysis revealed a pattern consistent with adaptive immune resistance: APOC1 correlated positively with immune-activating signatures (STAT1, MHC-II, TCR signaling) and immunosuppressive M2 macrophages and Tregs, yet negatively with anti-tumor effectors (activated NK cells, dendritic cells). Spatial transcriptomics and single-cell RNA sequencing identified tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) as the primary cellular source of APOC1, with transcripts co-localizing with CD68 in tissue sections. APOC1 expression correlated with multiple immune checkpoint molecules and was elevated in responders to immune checkpoint blockade, consistent with an inflamed yet regulated tumor microenvironment. Pharmacogenomic analyses revealed that APOC1-high tumors display distinct drug response profiles, characterized by resistance to MAPK pathway inhibitors and potential sensitivity to the HDAC inhibitor Entinostat.

conclusionThis pan-cancer analysis establishes APOC1 as a context-dependent biomarker and a TAM-derived modulator of adaptive immune resistance, with prognostic and therapeutic implications across malignancies. APOC1-expressing TAMs represent a potential target for combination immunotherapy strategies.

Indexed as

Adaptive immune resistanceAPOC1BiomarkerGenomic instabilityImmunotherapyPan-cancerPharmacogenomicsTumor-associated macrophages

Identifiers

PMID42348034
PMCPMC13554021

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