Single-Cell Triomics Analysis of Tumor Cells Infiltrating Patient-Derived Breast Cancer Scaffolds.

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Genomics
• Proteomics

Background:

• Cellular heterogeneity is crucial in cancer development and progression.
• Existing single-cell technologies face challenges in simultaneously analyzing DNA, RNA, and proteins.
• Understanding multi-omic cellular states is vital for targeted cancer therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and demonstrate a novel single-cell triomics method for simultaneous DNA, RNA, and protein analysis.
• To investigate breast cancer cell heterogeneity under different culture conditions and chemotherapy treatment.
• To explore the impact of tumor microenvironments on cancer cell heterogeneity and drug resistance.

Main Methods:

• Development of a targeted sequencing-based single-cell triomics approach.
• Analysis of breast cancer cells cultured in monolayer and patient-derived scaffolds.
• Assessment of cells with and without chemotherapy treatment.

Main Results:

• Reliable simultaneous analysis of DNA, RNA, and protein biomarkers from individual breast cancer cells.
• Demonstration of chemotherapy-induced alterations in cell subpopulations and biomarker expression.
• Evidence that patient-derived scaffolds and tumor microenvironments differentially influence cancer cell heterogeneity and drug resistance.

Conclusions:

• Single-cell triomics offers a powerful tool for comprehensive analysis of cancer cell heterogeneity at the DNA, RNA, and protein levels.
• This technology provides novel biological insights into breast cancer biology and treatment response.
• The findings highlight the importance of tumor microenvironment in shaping cancer cell phenotypes and therapeutic outcomes.