Single-cell RNA sequencing of bladder Ewing sarcoma
Bladder Ewing sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (bladder ES/PNET) is a rare and highly malignant tumor associated with a poor prognosis, yet its underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study employed a combination of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analyses to delve into the pathogenesis of bladder ES/PNET. The investigation revealed the presence of specialized types of epithelial cells (referred to as bladder ES-Epi) and mast cells (referred to as bladder ES-Mast) within bladder ES/PNET in comparison to urothelial carcinoma. Notably, TNFRSF12A exhibited significant upregulation in bladder ES/PNET. Furthermore, mast cells possessed the ability to activate epithelial cells through the TNFSF12-TNFRSF12A ligand-receptor signaling pattern. This activation mechanism appears to contribute to the progression of bladder ES/PNET. Overall design: Single-cell transcriptome profiling from bladder Ewing sarcoma tumor tissue and paired normal tissue, and bladder urothelial carcinoma tumor tissue and paired normal tissue.