
Unveiling the roles of SPP1+ macrophage and IGFBP2+ fibroblast in lung adenosquamous carcinoma through single-cell analysis


Lung adenosquamous carcinoma (LASC) is distinct from lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), exhibiting higher malignancy and poorer prognosis. However, there is limited understanding of its single-cell heterogeneity, particularly in comparison to the single-cell heterogeneity of LUAD and LUSC. Here, we analyzed single-cell transcriptomic data from 34 tissue biopsy samples derived from 8 LUAD, 6 LASC, and 6 LUSC patients, and first present a single-cell resolution atlas for these distinct non-small cell lung cancer subtypes. We found that LUSC fibroblasts had higher heterogeneity compared with those from LUAD and LASC. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2-positive (IGFBP2+) fibroblasts exhibited the strongest interactions with macrophages, particularly a synergistic interaction with secreted phosphoprotein 1-positive (SPP1+) macrophages. Spatial relationship and crosstalk of these two subtypes were validated using independent datasets and in vivo experiments. Our findings offer a novel perspective on the biological mechanisms of tumor microenvironment in adeno-to-squamous transition, offering potential targets for therapeutic strategies in managing this disease progression.
