Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42443915›Full record

ArticleJournal of translational medicine2026

Exploring platelet-covered and naked circulating tumor cells - a single-cell transcriptomic perspective.

Michał Sieczczyński, Krzysztof Pastuszak, Marcin Banacki, Kamil Łangowski, Sylwia Łapińska-Szumczyk, Anna Samelak-Czajka, Paulina Jackowiak, Iwona Inkielewicz-Stepniak, Anna Supernat, Anna Joanna Żaczek

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Article in Journal of translational medicine, 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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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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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.

Michał SieczczyńskiLaboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdańsk and the Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
Krzysztof PastuszakLaboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdańsk and the Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
Marcin BanackiLaboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdańsk and the Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
Kamil ŁangowskiLaboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdańsk and the Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
Sylwia Łapińska-SzumczykDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
Anna Samelak-CzajkaLaboratory of Single Cell Analyses, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
Paulina JackowiakLaboratory of Single Cell Analyses, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
Iwona Inkielewicz-StepniakDepartment of Pharmaceutical Pathophysiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
Anna SupernatLaboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdańsk and the Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland. anna.supernat@gumed.edu.pl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3113-0540
Anna Joanna ŻaczekLaboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdańsk and the Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland. azaczek@gumed.edu.pl.

Funding

Medical Research Agency KPOD.07.07-IW.07-0007/24National Center for Research and Development 0059/L-11/2019National Science Center 2020/37/B/NZ7/02069
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCirculating tumor cells (CTCs) and platelets might be collected simultaneously during liquid biopsy; however, their interaction in the form of platelet-covered CTCs (pcCTCs) remains only partially understood. In this study, we aimed to detect and characterize pcCTCs using single-cell data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and to compare their transcriptomic profiles with naked CTCs and platelets.

methodsWe analyzed 22 samples (10 from breast cancer patients and 12 from ovarian cancer patients) and 7 controls (3 non-malignant samples and 4 healthy donors) to identify candidate CTCs and pcCTCs.

resultsWe identified 12 candidate CTCs: 5 naked CTCs and 7 pcCTCs in 5 patients in total. We next examined genes associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, extracellular matrix organization, and platelet activation, signaling, and aggregation. These pathways were found to be upregulated in pcCTCs exhibiting the highest platelet-associated signal. We computed scores for epithelial and mesenchymal CTC phenotypes, platelet-related signatures, and gene sets associated with ovarian and breast cancer CTCs.

conclusionTranscriptomic analysis revealed that platelet cloaking significantly influences genes connected with CTCs survival in the bloodstream and metastatic progression.

Indexed as

Blood PlateletsNeoplastic Cells, CirculatingSingle-Cell AnalysisTranscriptomeBreast NeoplasmsEpithelial-Mesenchymal TransitionFemaleGene Expression ProfilingGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansOvarian NeoplasmsSingle-Cell Gene Expression AnalysisCirculating tumor cellsepithelial–mesenchymal transitionPlatelet-covered circulating tumor cellsSingle-cell sequencing

Identifiers

PMID42443915
PMCPMC13647864

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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.