Integrated single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing analysis establishes a cancer associated fibroblast-related signature for predicting prognosis and therapeutic responses in neuroblastoma

Abstract Background Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) greatly contribute to the growth, invasion, metastasis and drug resistance of neuroblastoma (NB). This study aimed to construct a CAF-related prognostic model and identify the immune status of patients with NB via single-cell RNA sequencing (s...

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Main Authors: Zhiyao Cao, Qi Wang, Yali Han, Jianwei Lin, Qi Wu, Chencheng Xu, Jingchun Lv, Lei Zhang, Hongxiang Gao, Dapeng Jiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-07-01
Series:Discover Oncology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-03023-y
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author Zhiyao Cao
Qi Wang
Yali Han
Jianwei Lin
Qi Wu
Chencheng Xu
Jingchun Lv
Lei Zhang
Hongxiang Gao
Dapeng Jiang
author_facet Zhiyao Cao
Qi Wang
Yali Han
Jianwei Lin
Qi Wu
Chencheng Xu
Jingchun Lv
Lei Zhang
Hongxiang Gao
Dapeng Jiang
author_sort Zhiyao Cao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) greatly contribute to the growth, invasion, metastasis and drug resistance of neuroblastoma (NB). This study aimed to construct a CAF-related prognostic model and identify the immune status of patients with NB via single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Methods ScRNA-seq data of NB acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were used to identify cellular subpopulations. Bulk gene expression data were downloaded from GEO, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and ArrayExpress databases and the prognostic model was constructed using univariate Cox and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) analyses. Differences in immune infiltration, therapeutic responses and signaling pathways between the high- and low-risk groups were investigated. Finally, immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the protein expressions and a nomogram based on the risk signature and clinical characteristics was constructed. Results ScRNA-seq data of eight NB samples were integrated to identify 253 marker genes for CAF. An eight-gene prognostic CAF-related signature was established based on the GEO data. The CAF model was strongly associated with immune infiltration, drug response and active signaling pathways in tumors. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses verified that the CAF model was as an independent prognostic indicator, and a nomogram integrating the clinical signature and CAF-related risk signature was constructed for clinical prediction. Conclusions The CAF-related signature can effectively predict the prognosis of NB and provide new genomic evidence for anti-CAF immunotherapeutic strategies.
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spelling doaj-art-0b39ce9a2ee54403a5b91b7979d797df2025-08-20T04:01:35ZengSpringerDiscover Oncology2730-60112025-07-0116112010.1007/s12672-025-03023-yIntegrated single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing analysis establishes a cancer associated fibroblast-related signature for predicting prognosis and therapeutic responses in neuroblastomaZhiyao Cao0Qi Wang1Yali Han2Jianwei Lin3Qi Wu4Chencheng Xu5Jingchun Lv6Lei Zhang7Hongxiang Gao8Dapeng Jiang9Department of Oncology (Ward 2), Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityInstitute of Molecular Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityDepartment of Oncology (Ward 2), Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityDepartment of Oncology (Ward 2), Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityDepartment of Oncology (Ward 2), Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityDepartment of Oncology (Ward 2), Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityDepartment of Oncology (Ward 2), Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityDepartment of Oncology (Ward 2), Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityDepartment of Oncology (Ward 2), Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityDepartment of Oncology (Ward 2), Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityAbstract Background Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) greatly contribute to the growth, invasion, metastasis and drug resistance of neuroblastoma (NB). This study aimed to construct a CAF-related prognostic model and identify the immune status of patients with NB via single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Methods ScRNA-seq data of NB acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were used to identify cellular subpopulations. Bulk gene expression data were downloaded from GEO, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and ArrayExpress databases and the prognostic model was constructed using univariate Cox and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) analyses. Differences in immune infiltration, therapeutic responses and signaling pathways between the high- and low-risk groups were investigated. Finally, immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the protein expressions and a nomogram based on the risk signature and clinical characteristics was constructed. Results ScRNA-seq data of eight NB samples were integrated to identify 253 marker genes for CAF. An eight-gene prognostic CAF-related signature was established based on the GEO data. The CAF model was strongly associated with immune infiltration, drug response and active signaling pathways in tumors. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses verified that the CAF model was as an independent prognostic indicator, and a nomogram integrating the clinical signature and CAF-related risk signature was constructed for clinical prediction. Conclusions The CAF-related signature can effectively predict the prognosis of NB and provide new genomic evidence for anti-CAF immunotherapeutic strategies.https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-03023-yNeuroblastomaCancer-associated fibroblastsTherapeutic responsePrognosisImmune infiltration
spellingShingle Zhiyao Cao
Qi Wang
Yali Han
Jianwei Lin
Qi Wu
Chencheng Xu
Jingchun Lv
Lei Zhang
Hongxiang Gao
Dapeng Jiang
Integrated single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing analysis establishes a cancer associated fibroblast-related signature for predicting prognosis and therapeutic responses in neuroblastoma
Discover Oncology
Neuroblastoma
Cancer-associated fibroblasts
Therapeutic response
Prognosis
Immune infiltration
title Integrated single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing analysis establishes a cancer associated fibroblast-related signature for predicting prognosis and therapeutic responses in neuroblastoma
title_full Integrated single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing analysis establishes a cancer associated fibroblast-related signature for predicting prognosis and therapeutic responses in neuroblastoma
title_fullStr Integrated single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing analysis establishes a cancer associated fibroblast-related signature for predicting prognosis and therapeutic responses in neuroblastoma
title_full_unstemmed Integrated single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing analysis establishes a cancer associated fibroblast-related signature for predicting prognosis and therapeutic responses in neuroblastoma
title_short Integrated single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing analysis establishes a cancer associated fibroblast-related signature for predicting prognosis and therapeutic responses in neuroblastoma
title_sort integrated single cell and bulk rna sequencing analysis establishes a cancer associated fibroblast related signature for predicting prognosis and therapeutic responses in neuroblastoma
topic Neuroblastoma
Cancer-associated fibroblasts
Therapeutic response
Prognosis
Immune infiltration
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-03023-y
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