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  3. Spatial transcriptomics analysis of esophageal squamous precancerous lesions and their progression to esophageal cancer

Spatial transcriptomics analysis of esophageal squamous precancerous lesions and their progression to esophageal cancer

  • Nat Commun. 2023 Aug 8;14(1):4779. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-40343-5.
Xuejiao Liu # 1 2,  Simin Zhao # 2 3 4,  Keke Wang # 2,  Liting Zhou 1 2 4,  Ming Jiang 2,  Yunfeng Gao 2,  Ran Yang 2,  Shiwen Yan 1 2 4,  Wen Zhang 1 2 4,  Bingbing Lu 1 2 4,  Feifei Liu 1 2 4,  Ran Zhao 1 2,  Wenting Liu 1 2,  Zihan Zhang 1 2 4,  Kangdong Liu 1 2 4 5 6,  Xiang Li 7 8 9 10 11,  Zigang Dong 12 13 14 15 16
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
  • 2 China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
  • 3 Department of Pathology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
  • 4 Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
  • 5 The Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
  • 6 State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
  • 7 Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China. lixiang@zzu.edu.cn.
  • 8 China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, China. lixiang@zzu.edu.cn.
  • 9 Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China. lixiang@zzu.edu.cn.
  • 10 The Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou, Henan, China. lixiang@zzu.edu.cn.
  • 11 State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China. lixiang@zzu.edu.cn.
  • 12 Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China. dongzg@zzu.edu.cn.
  • 13 China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, China. dongzg@zzu.edu.cn.
  • 14 Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China. dongzg@zzu.edu.cn.
  • 15 The Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou, Henan, China. dongzg@zzu.edu.cn.
  • 16 State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China. dongzg@zzu.edu.cn.
  • # Contributed equally.
PMID: 37553345 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40343-5
Abstract

Esophageal squamous precancerous lesions (ESPL) are the precursors of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) including low-grade and high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. Due to the absence of molecular Indicators, which ESPL will eventually develop into ESCC and thus should be treated is not well defined. Indicators, for predicting risks of ESCC at ESPL stages, are an urgent need. We perform spatial whole-transcriptome atlas analysis, which can eliminate other tissue interference by Sequencing the specific ESPL regions. In this study, the expression of TAGLN2 significantly increases, while CRNN expression level decreases along the progression of ESCC. Additionally, TAGLN2 protein level significantly increases in paired after-progression tissues compared with before-progression samples, while CRNN expression decreases. Functional studies suggest that TAGLN2 promotes ESCC progression, while CRNN inhibits it by regulating cell proliferation. Taken together, TAGLN2 and CRNN are suggested as candidate Indicators for the risk of ESCC at ESPL stages.

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