Identifying tumor microenvironment subtypes in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors using digital spatial profiling
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 11, 2026
Digital Spatial Profiling for Characterization of the Microenvironment in Adult-Type Diffusely Infiltrating Glioma
Published on: September 13, 2022
Xiongxiong Lu1,2,3,4,5, Xiaomei Tang1,2,3,4,5, Ziyu Chen1,2,3,4,5
1Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.
Objective:
This study aimed to systematically investigate the heterogeneity and correlations between variables within the tumor microenvironment (TME) of primary and metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) using digital spatial profiling.
Methods:
Data from 63 PanNET patients were analyzed, and two distinct sample cohorts were selected for in-depth evaluation. Based on the composition and density of infiltrating immune cells and stromal characteristics, three distinct TME subtypes were identified: T1 (deficient, D), T2 (immune-enriched, IE), and T3 (immune- and fibroblast-enriched, IE/F).
Results:
The three TME subtypes exhibited distinct clinical prognostic significance, with subtype T3 (IE/F) being associated with the lowest overall survival rates, particularly in metastatic disease (MT3). Molecular characterization revealed substantial variations in gene and protein expression profiles among the subtypes. We further developed an eight-gene prognostic model specifically for identifying MT3 (IE/F), which demonstrated enhanced accuracy for predicting patient survival compared to conventional pathological grading systems.
Conclusions:
These findings provide critical insights into the complexities of TME and offer a potential framework for personalized treatment strategies for PanNET patients.
