Decoding circulating neutrophil phenotypes in triple-negative breast cancer via optimized single-cell RNA sequencing.

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Oncology
• Genomics

Background:

• Neutrophils are crucial in tumor biology, affecting cancer progression and treatment outcomes.
• Transcriptomic analysis of neutrophils is difficult due to low RNA content, hindering precise identification at the single-cell level.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a robust analytical framework for accurate neutrophil identification and functional characterization in single-cell RNA sequencing data.
• To investigate transcriptomic differences in neutrophils from triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients compared to healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• A novel neutrophil scoring system was developed using curated gene panels to identify neutrophils in single-cell RNA sequencing data.
• White blood cells from TNBC patients and healthy donors were analyzed using this framework.
• Transcriptomic profiles of neutrophils from both groups were compared.

Main Results:

• The developed framework enabled precise identification and analysis of neutrophils.
• Neutrophils from TNBC patients exhibited significant upregulation of migration-associated and respiratory complex genes compared to controls.
• Significant transcriptomic distinctions were observed between TNBC and control neutrophils.

Conclusions:

• Circulating neutrophils display distinct transcriptomic profiles in the context of TNBC, indicating tumor influence on immune cells.
• The validated analytical framework facilitates accurate neutrophil characterization in single-cell studies.
• This research provides a foundation for understanding neutrophil mechanisms in cancer progression.