Single-cell and multi-omics analysis reveals the role of stem cells in prognosis and immunotherapy of lung adenocarcinoma patients

BackgroundThe roles of stem cells in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression and therapeutic resistance have been recognized, yet their impact on patient prognosis and immunotherapy response remains unclear.MethodsSingle-cell RNA sequencing was performed to identify stem cell populations characterize...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jianan Zheng, Haoran Lin, Wei Ye, Mingjun Du, Chenjun Huang, Jun Fan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Immunology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1634830/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850096015444541440
author Jianan Zheng
Haoran Lin
Wei Ye
Mingjun Du
Chenjun Huang
Jun Fan
author_facet Jianan Zheng
Haoran Lin
Wei Ye
Mingjun Du
Chenjun Huang
Jun Fan
author_sort Jianan Zheng
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundThe roles of stem cells in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression and therapeutic resistance have been recognized, yet their impact on patient prognosis and immunotherapy response remains unclear.MethodsSingle-cell RNA sequencing was performed to identify stem cell populations characterized by high expression of MKI67 and STMN1. Key marker genes were identified using the FindAllMarkers function, and these genes were subsequently analyzed for mutations, copy number variations, and prognostic significance in LUAD patients. Multiple machine learning algorithms were systematically compared in order to develop an optimal prognostic model. The predictive performance of the model was validated across seven independent LUAD cohorts and immunotherapy datasets. Patterns of immune infiltration were assessed using various computational approaches and were further validated in an internal hospital cohort.ResultsThrough comprehensive machine learning optimization, CoxBoost+Enet (alpha=0.7) was identified as the optimal model, incorporating seven key stem cell–related genes and designated as the Stem Cell Prognostic Model (SCPM). Patients were consistently stratified into high- and low-SCPM groups across all seven validation cohorts, with poorer overall survival observed in the high-SCPM group. Predictive accuracy was demonstrated by ROC analysis (AUC > 0.65), while clear group separation was confirmed through PCA based on the seven-gene signature. Notably, immunotherapy response was also predicted by SCPM, with inferior outcomes observed in high-SCPM patients following treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Significantly lower immune cell infiltration, characteristic of “cold” tumors, was detected in high-SCPM patients by multiple immune infiltration algorithms. These findings were further validated in the internal cohort, where reduced CD8+ T cell infiltration was observed in high-SCPM patients.ConclusionA stem cell–based prognostic model (SCPM) was constructed and validated, enabling accurate prediction of survival and immunotherapy response in LUAD patients. Patients with immunologically “cold” tumors, as identified by the SCPM, may benefit from alternative therapeutic strategies.
format Article
id doaj-art-4397a708fd2f44d1a352293cff51d2b0
institution DOAJ
issn 1664-3224
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Immunology
spelling doaj-art-4397a708fd2f44d1a352293cff51d2b02025-08-20T02:41:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-07-011610.3389/fimmu.2025.16348301634830Single-cell and multi-omics analysis reveals the role of stem cells in prognosis and immunotherapy of lung adenocarcinoma patientsJianan ZhengHaoran LinWei YeMingjun DuChenjun HuangJun FanBackgroundThe roles of stem cells in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression and therapeutic resistance have been recognized, yet their impact on patient prognosis and immunotherapy response remains unclear.MethodsSingle-cell RNA sequencing was performed to identify stem cell populations characterized by high expression of MKI67 and STMN1. Key marker genes were identified using the FindAllMarkers function, and these genes were subsequently analyzed for mutations, copy number variations, and prognostic significance in LUAD patients. Multiple machine learning algorithms were systematically compared in order to develop an optimal prognostic model. The predictive performance of the model was validated across seven independent LUAD cohorts and immunotherapy datasets. Patterns of immune infiltration were assessed using various computational approaches and were further validated in an internal hospital cohort.ResultsThrough comprehensive machine learning optimization, CoxBoost+Enet (alpha=0.7) was identified as the optimal model, incorporating seven key stem cell–related genes and designated as the Stem Cell Prognostic Model (SCPM). Patients were consistently stratified into high- and low-SCPM groups across all seven validation cohorts, with poorer overall survival observed in the high-SCPM group. Predictive accuracy was demonstrated by ROC analysis (AUC > 0.65), while clear group separation was confirmed through PCA based on the seven-gene signature. Notably, immunotherapy response was also predicted by SCPM, with inferior outcomes observed in high-SCPM patients following treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Significantly lower immune cell infiltration, characteristic of “cold” tumors, was detected in high-SCPM patients by multiple immune infiltration algorithms. These findings were further validated in the internal cohort, where reduced CD8+ T cell infiltration was observed in high-SCPM patients.ConclusionA stem cell–based prognostic model (SCPM) was constructed and validated, enabling accurate prediction of survival and immunotherapy response in LUAD patients. Patients with immunologically “cold” tumors, as identified by the SCPM, may benefit from alternative therapeutic strategies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1634830/fulllung adenocarcinomasingle-cell sequencingstem cellsprognostic modelimmunotherapy
spellingShingle Jianan Zheng
Haoran Lin
Wei Ye
Mingjun Du
Chenjun Huang
Jun Fan
Single-cell and multi-omics analysis reveals the role of stem cells in prognosis and immunotherapy of lung adenocarcinoma patients
Frontiers in Immunology
lung adenocarcinoma
single-cell sequencing
stem cells
prognostic model
immunotherapy
title Single-cell and multi-omics analysis reveals the role of stem cells in prognosis and immunotherapy of lung adenocarcinoma patients
title_full Single-cell and multi-omics analysis reveals the role of stem cells in prognosis and immunotherapy of lung adenocarcinoma patients
title_fullStr Single-cell and multi-omics analysis reveals the role of stem cells in prognosis and immunotherapy of lung adenocarcinoma patients
title_full_unstemmed Single-cell and multi-omics analysis reveals the role of stem cells in prognosis and immunotherapy of lung adenocarcinoma patients
title_short Single-cell and multi-omics analysis reveals the role of stem cells in prognosis and immunotherapy of lung adenocarcinoma patients
title_sort single cell and multi omics analysis reveals the role of stem cells in prognosis and immunotherapy of lung adenocarcinoma patients
topic lung adenocarcinoma
single-cell sequencing
stem cells
prognostic model
immunotherapy
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1634830/full
work_keys_str_mv AT jiananzheng singlecellandmultiomicsanalysisrevealstheroleofstemcellsinprognosisandimmunotherapyoflungadenocarcinomapatients
AT haoranlin singlecellandmultiomicsanalysisrevealstheroleofstemcellsinprognosisandimmunotherapyoflungadenocarcinomapatients
AT weiye singlecellandmultiomicsanalysisrevealstheroleofstemcellsinprognosisandimmunotherapyoflungadenocarcinomapatients
AT mingjundu singlecellandmultiomicsanalysisrevealstheroleofstemcellsinprognosisandimmunotherapyoflungadenocarcinomapatients
AT chenjunhuang singlecellandmultiomicsanalysisrevealstheroleofstemcellsinprognosisandimmunotherapyoflungadenocarcinomapatients
AT junfan singlecellandmultiomicsanalysisrevealstheroleofstemcellsinprognosisandimmunotherapyoflungadenocarcinomapatients