A compartment-specific transcriptome analysis reveals survival-relevant marker genes in the stroma fraction of...

Although it is increasingly recognized that the tumor biology is influenced by the tumor stroma, prognostic gene signatures are usually derived from tissue consisting of tumor cells and surrounding stroma. This study presents a compartment-specific transcriptome analysis of lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) samples microdissected into tumor parenchyma and stroma fractions. Typical tumor and stroma genes were identified based on the expression ratios between the two compartments. Our results indicate that in SCC many markers related to longer survival are predominantly expressed in the stroma, particularly genes of the MHC-II complex. Stromal upregulation of MHC-II genes seems crucial for a clinically relevant antitumor immune response in SCC.