Affiliation:
1. Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine Hangzhou China
2. Nursing Department, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine Hangzhou China
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundLung cancer stands out as a highly perilous malignant tumor with severe implications for human health. There has been a growing interest in neutrophils as a result of their role in promoting cancer in recent years. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the heterogeneity of neutrophils in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).MethodsSingle‐cell RNA sequencing of tumor‐associated neutrophils (TANs) and polymorphonuclear neutrophils sourced from the Gene Expression Omnibus database was analyzed. Moreover, cell–cell communication, differentiation trajectories and transcription factor analyses were performed.ResultsNeutrophils were found to be closely associated with macrophages. Four major types of TANs were identified: a transitional subcluster that migrated from blood to tumor microenvironment (TAN‐0), an inflammatory subcluster (TAN‐1), a subpopulation that displayed a distinctive transcriptional signature (TAN‐2) and a final differentiation state that promoted tumor formation (TAN‐3). Meanwhile, TAN‐3 displayed a marked increase in glycolytic activity. Finally, transcription factors were analyzed to uncover distinct TAN cluster‐specific regulons.ConclusionsThe discovery of the dynamic characteristics of TANs in the present study is anticipated to contribute to yielding a better understanding of the tumor microenvironment and advancing the treatment of NSCLC.