A unified single-cell atlas of HNSCC: toward characterizing HPV- and sex-associated TME variability
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is highly heterogeneous, with variations driven by human papillomavirus (HPV) status and sex. However, existing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) studies are often limited in sample size and lack standardized methodologies, limiting cross-study comp...
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| Auteurs principaux: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Langue: | anglais |
| Publié: |
19 June 2026
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| In: |
iScience
Year: 2026, Volume: 29, Numéro: 6, Pages: 1-15 |
| ISSN: | 2589-0042 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115863 |
| Accès en ligne: | Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.115863 Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004226012381 
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| Notes sur l'auteur: | Cristina Conde-Lopez, Divyasree Marripati, Maria Jose Besso, Mareike Roscher, Rui Han, Wahyu Wijaya Hadiwikarta, Moshe Elkabets, Jochen Hess, and Ina Kurth |
| Résumé: | Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is highly heterogeneous, with variations driven by human papillomavirus (HPV) status and sex. However, existing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) studies are often limited in sample size and lack standardized methodologies, limiting cross-study comparisons. To address this, we integrated scRNA-seq data from 78 patients (274,911 cells) across multiple studies, creating a unified HNSCC atlas that harmonizes annotations and enables robust tumor microenvironment (TME) analyses. Using STACAS for semi-supervised integration and automated annotation tools such as Ikarus and scGate, we improved tumor and immune cell classification. Leveraging our atlas, we identified HPV-specific shifts in immune and stromal composition, with HPV+ tumors enriched in adaptive immune cells and HPV− tumors showing more stromal and myeloid populations. Preliminary sex-stratified analyses suggested distinct microenvironmental patterns, warranting further investigation. This publicly available atlas provides a comprehensive framework for reproducibly studying HNSCC biology, improving patient stratification, and may help inform personalized therapies. |
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| Description: | Online verfügbar 22 April 2026, Version des Artikels 9 May 2026 Gesehen am 31.07.2026 |
| Description matérielle: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 2589-0042 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115863 |