Deciphering the cellular landscape and potential targets of nasopharyngeal and oral cancers using single-cell RNA sequencing

Abstract

Cellular heterogeneity in nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) and oral cancer remains unclear. In the current study, using single-cell RNA sequencing techniques, we investigated the cellular landscape in NPC and oral cancers. We identified a diverse range of cell types within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and variations in cell infiltration between NPC and oral cancer. In oral cancer, we observed a predominant infiltration of epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells (ECs), while T cells were the main infiltrating cell population in NPCs. We further classified these infiltrating cells into subclusters. Additionally, we observed complex interactions among cells that led to distinct trajectories. In particular, a unique epithelial subcluster with high expression of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) molecules was correlated with a favorable outcome and infiltration of CD4⁺ T cells. In addition, MHC-II⁺ epithelial cells inhibited mouse tumor growth and promoted T-cell infiltration. Consequently, our findings provide a deep understanding of the TME showing a significant prognostic value and therapeutic potential.