Transcriptional Spatial Profiling of Cancer Tissues in the Era of Immunotherapy: The Potential and Promise.
Sanjna Nilesh NerurkarDenise GohChun Chau Lawrence CheungPei Qi Yvonne NgaJeffrey Chun Tatt LimJoe Poh Sheng YeongPublished in: Cancers (2020)
Intratumoral heterogeneity poses a major challenge to making an accurate diagnosis and establishing personalized treatment strategies for cancer patients. Moreover, this heterogeneity might underlie treatment resistance, disease progression, and cancer relapse. For example, while immunotherapies can confer a high success rate, selective pressures coupled with dynamic evolution within a tumour can drive the emergence of drug-resistant clones that allow tumours to persist in certain patients. To improve immunotherapy efficacy, researchers have used transcriptional spatial profiling techniques to identify and subsequently block the source of tumour heterogeneity. In this review, we describe and assess the different technologies available for such profiling within a cancer tissue. We first outline two well-known approaches, in situ hybridization and digital spatial profiling. Then, we highlight the features of an emerging technology known as Visium Spatial Gene Expression Solution. Visium generates quantitative gene expression data and maps them to the tissue architecture. By retaining spatial information, we are well positioned to identify novel biomarkers and perform computational analyses that might inform on novel combinatorial immunotherapies.
Keyphrases
- gene expression
- single cell
- drug resistant
- papillary thyroid
- squamous cell
- dna methylation
- multidrug resistant
- end stage renal disease
- transcription factor
- ejection fraction
- high resolution
- chronic kidney disease
- machine learning
- big data
- oxidative stress
- mass spectrometry
- young adults
- artificial intelligence
- data analysis
- health information
- cystic fibrosis
- patient reported
- smoking cessation
- replacement therapy