Han Ying, Song Lele, Lv Lingna, Fan Chunlei, Ding Huiguo
Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Department of Radiotherapy, the Eighth Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Turk J Gastroenterol. 2024 Nov 28;35(12):876-888. doi: 10.5152/tjg.2024.24118.
Tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) has become a new hotspot in cancer research over the past few years. Tumor immune microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is especially intriguing as HCC is reported to be highly heterogeneous by previous genomic and cytological studies. It is also closely related to patient prognosis and therapeutic outcome. The recently emerged single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) technique provides a new tool for TIME study, and current studies have made great advances in defining the roles of TIME in HCC pathogenesis and therapy. Current evidence suggests that heterogeneity is a key player influencing therapeutic response, drug resistance, and prognosis. However, our understanding is limited on the roles of TIME heterogeneity in HCC development, prognosis, and therapeutic response, especially in the era of immunotherapy. This review aims to unravel the heterogeneity of TIME in HCC by scRNAseq, with specific focuses on the cellular, transcriptional, and marker perspectives of TIME heterogeneity in HCC, as well as assessing prognostic and therapeutic response by heterogeneity markers. By summarizing current discoveries regarding TIME heterogeneity, we hope to provide clues on the crucial roles of various cellular components in the development and progression of HCC. We also hope to identify potential markers and therapeutic targets for prognosis assessment and personalized treatment to improve patient outcomes. Combined therapies from multiple dimensions regarding heterogeneity may provide new opportunities to treat HCC more effectively.
在过去几年中,肿瘤免疫微环境(TIME)已成为癌症研究的一个新热点。肝细胞癌(HCC)的肿瘤免疫微环境尤其引人关注,因为先前的基因组学和细胞学研究表明HCC具有高度异质性。它还与患者的预后和治疗结果密切相关。最近出现的单细胞RNA测序(scRNAseq)技术为TIME研究提供了一种新工具,目前的研究在确定TIME在HCC发病机制和治疗中的作用方面取得了很大进展。目前的证据表明,异质性是影响治疗反应、耐药性和预后的关键因素。然而,我们对TIME异质性在HCC发生、预后和治疗反应中的作用了解有限,尤其是在免疫治疗时代。这篇综述旨在通过scRNAseq揭示HCC中TIME的异质性,特别关注HCC中TIME异质性的细胞、转录和标志物方面,以及通过异质性标志物评估预后和治疗反应。通过总结目前关于TIME异质性的发现,我们希望为各种细胞成分在HCC发生和发展中的关键作用提供线索。我们还希望确定用于预后评估和个性化治疗以改善患者结局的潜在标志物和治疗靶点。关于异质性的多维度联合疗法可能为更有效地治疗HCC提供新机会。