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Pericytes change function depending on glioblastoma vicinity : emphasis on immune regulation

Buizza, Carolina LU ; Carlsson, Robert LU orcid ; Gamper, Coralie LU ; Chitale, Gayatri ; Bengzon, Johan LU and Paul, Gesine LU orcid (2025) In Molecular Oncology 19(9). p.2491-2514
Abstract

Glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive brain tumor in adults, is characterized by its infiltrative growth along the perivascular space. Mural cells (MCs), encompassing pericytes and smooth muscle cells, are multifunctional perivascular cells implicated in GBM progression. MCs not only facilitate vascular co-option but have also been suggested to contribute to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, promoting tumor growth and migration. However, whether MC interactions with immune cells differ based on their proximity to the tumor remains unclear. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we analyzed MC transcriptome profiles across distinct regions relative to the tumor mass in mouse and human GBM samples. Tumor-residing MCs exhibited... (More)

Glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive brain tumor in adults, is characterized by its infiltrative growth along the perivascular space. Mural cells (MCs), encompassing pericytes and smooth muscle cells, are multifunctional perivascular cells implicated in GBM progression. MCs not only facilitate vascular co-option but have also been suggested to contribute to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, promoting tumor growth and migration. However, whether MC interactions with immune cells differ based on their proximity to the tumor remains unclear. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we analyzed MC transcriptome profiles across distinct regions relative to the tumor mass in mouse and human GBM samples. Tumor-residing MCs exhibited profound phenotypic changes, showing upregulated gene expression and enhanced signaling activity toward immune cells, with region-specific ligand–receptor interactions. Conversely, border-residing MCs, despite their abundance, showed reduced activation and lacked distinct transcriptional profiles. These findings reveal spatially defined transcriptional heterogeneity in MCs within the GBM microenvironment, underscoring their dynamic role in the GBM microenvironment. This study provides novel insights into MC responses in GBM, identifying potential avenues for targeting MC–immune-cell interactions in therapeutic interventions.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
glioblastoma, immune cell, pericyte, signaling, smooth muscle cells, transcriptome
in
Molecular Oncology
volume
19
issue
9
pages
24 pages
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • pmid:40674254
  • scopus:105011093699
ISSN
1574-7891
DOI
10.1002/1878-0261.70095
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Molecular Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Federation of European Biochemical Societies.
id
aa2c264d-a2a9-40af-8fc1-6d66ac9e2e42
date added to LUP
2025-12-19 15:23:13
date last changed
2025-12-19 15:24:00
@article{aa2c264d-a2a9-40af-8fc1-6d66ac9e2e42,
  abstract     = {{<p>Glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive brain tumor in adults, is characterized by its infiltrative growth along the perivascular space. Mural cells (MCs), encompassing pericytes and smooth muscle cells, are multifunctional perivascular cells implicated in GBM progression. MCs not only facilitate vascular co-option but have also been suggested to contribute to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, promoting tumor growth and migration. However, whether MC interactions with immune cells differ based on their proximity to the tumor remains unclear. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we analyzed MC transcriptome profiles across distinct regions relative to the tumor mass in mouse and human GBM samples. Tumor-residing MCs exhibited profound phenotypic changes, showing upregulated gene expression and enhanced signaling activity toward immune cells, with region-specific ligand–receptor interactions. Conversely, border-residing MCs, despite their abundance, showed reduced activation and lacked distinct transcriptional profiles. These findings reveal spatially defined transcriptional heterogeneity in MCs within the GBM microenvironment, underscoring their dynamic role in the GBM microenvironment. This study provides novel insights into MC responses in GBM, identifying potential avenues for targeting MC–immune-cell interactions in therapeutic interventions.</p>}},
  author       = {{Buizza, Carolina and Carlsson, Robert and Gamper, Coralie and Chitale, Gayatri and Bengzon, Johan and Paul, Gesine}},
  issn         = {{1574-7891}},
  keywords     = {{glioblastoma; immune cell; pericyte; signaling; smooth muscle cells; transcriptome}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{9}},
  pages        = {{2491--2514}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Molecular Oncology}},
  title        = {{Pericytes change function depending on glioblastoma vicinity : emphasis on immune regulation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/1878-0261.70095}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/1878-0261.70095}},
  volume       = {{19}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}