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Updated: Nov 12, 2025
Author Spotlight: Recreating Melanoma Complexity with Patient-Derived Organoids for Immunotherapy Evaluation
Published on: September 6, 2024
Transcriptomic analysis of mechanism of melanoma cell death induced by photothermal therapy
Guorong Yan1, Lei Shi1, Fuhe Zhang1
1Institute of Photomedicine, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Abstract:
Melanoma is a malignancy with poor prognosis. Its incidence rate has been on the rise and it poses high health and economic challenges to different populations. Photothermal therapy (PTT) served as an effective local therapy in treating various tumors, particularly cutaneous carcinoma like melanoma. To fully understand the mechanisms of tumor cell death induced by PTT, we investigated gene expression and immune cells compositions of B16-F10 tumors after PTT treatment. A total of 256 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, with 215 being downregulated and 41 upregulated by PTT. Functional annotation showed that most DEGs involved in immune response and inflammatory response. Immune cells compositions inference revealed changes in many immune cells including regulatory T cells, M2 macrophage and B cells after PTT treatment. Our results help delineate the mechanism of cell death at the transcriptional level triggered by non-invasive PTT treatment of melanoma without exogenous light absorbing agents.
Insights
Photothermal therapy (PTT) effectively treats melanoma by altering gene expression and immune cell composition. This study reveals PTT
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Melanoma incidence is increasing, posing significant health and economic burdens.
- Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a promising local treatment for cutaneous carcinoma, including melanoma.
- Understanding PTT's mechanism of action is crucial for optimizing its therapeutic efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular mechanisms of tumor cell death induced by PTT in melanoma.
- To analyze gene expression changes and immune cell composition alterations following PTT treatment.
- To elucidate the transcriptional pathways involved in PTT-mediated melanoma cell death.
Main Methods:
- B16-F10 melanoma tumor model.
- Photothermal therapy (PTT) treatment.
- Differential gene expression analysis (RNA sequencing).
- Bioinformatic functional annotation of differentially expressed genes (DEGs).
- Inference of immune cell composition changes.
Main Results:
- 256 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified: 215 downregulated, 41 upregulated by PTT.
- Functional annotation revealed DEGs predominantly involved in immune and inflammatory responses.
- PTT treatment altered the composition of immune cells, including regulatory T cells, M2 macrophages, and B cells.
- Non-invasive PTT treatment triggered melanoma cell death without exogenous photosensitizers.
Conclusions:
- PTT induces melanoma cell death through significant alterations in gene expression, particularly those related to immune and inflammatory processes.
- The study provides insights into the transcriptional landscape and immune microenvironment modulation by PTT.
- These findings contribute to understanding the mechanisms of non-invasive PTT for melanoma treatment.
