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Spatial Transcriptomic Analysis of Pituitary Corticotroph Tumors.
Jeremie Oliver Piña1, Fabio R Faucz2, Cameron Padilla2
1Section on Craniofacial Genetic Disorders, Eunice Kennedy ShriverNational Institute of Child Health, and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Journal of the Endocrine Society
|April 18, 2024
Summary
Spatial transcriptomic analysis reveals gene expression and cell location in pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs). This study identifies intratumor heterogeneity, offering new insights into PitNET cell variability.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genomics
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Spatial transcriptomics (ST) offers a novel method for analyzing gene expression within the tumor microenvironment.
- Understanding spatial interactions is crucial for comprehending tumor biology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To apply ST analysis to corticotroph pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs).
- To correlate ST data with immunohistochemistry (IHC) findings.
- To investigate intratumor heterogeneity in PitNETs.
Main Methods:
- Spatial transcriptomic (ST) analysis was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded PitNET tissues.
- ST data were compared with immunohistochemistry (IHC) results.
- Gene expression profiles were analyzed for cluster annotation and pathway analysis.
Main Results:
- In situ annotation derived from ST data showed concordance with pathologist annotations.
- Relative gene expression in ST data correlated with standard IHC markers (reticulin, Ki-67 index).
- Significant intratumor heterogeneity was identified, with distinct transcriptomic profiles within individual tumors.
Conclusions:
- This study presents the first spatial cell profiling of PitNETs using ST analysis.
- The findings highlight the potential for intratumor cell variability and spatial heterogeneity in PitNETs.
