Fig. 4: Phenotypic and spatial heterogeneity of SMC subtypes. | Nature Communications

Fig. 4: Phenotypic and spatial heterogeneity of SMC subtypes.

From: Spatially resolved atlas of breast cancer uncovers intercellular machinery of venular niche governing lymphocyte extravasation

Fig. 4

a The sub-clustering of SMCs in the in-house scRNA-seq dataset, with each SMC subtype distinctly color-coded. b Differential expression of feature genes (TAGLN, KCNJ8, MUSTN1, CCL21) among three SMC subtypes. c The KEGG pathways enriched in the DEGs between the SMC subtypes. Top six KEGG pathways for each SMC subtype are selected based on their adjusted p-value. d The DEGs between three SMC subtypes. Top fifteen DEGs for each SMC subtype are shown based on their fold change value. e, f The NES between target cells and vECs, aECs, cECs, all ECs in the bin50 model across ST slides of primary tumors. The target cells represent SMC.1 (e) and SMC.2 (f), respectively. The NES are compared by the Wilcoxon rank sum test (paired samples, two-tailed); ***p < 0.001. g Multiplex immunostaining for ACKR1 (vEC marker; orange), CCL21 (vSMC marker; green), CD31 (classical EC marker; red), and SMA (classical SMC marker; gray) validates the cell-type-specific expression of ACKR1 and CCL21, and further highlights the co-localization of vECs and vSMCs. h Relative proportions of bin50 spots that are labeled as venular SMCs (vSMCs) or arterial SMCs (aSMCs) in ST slides from PT and LN. i The ES between vECs/aECs/cECs and vSMCs/aSMCs in the bin50 model in ST slides from PT. ***p < 0.001, by the Wilcoxon rank sum test (paired samples, two-tailed). j The ES between vSMCs/aSMCs/SMCs and various target cells (including T/NK cells, B cells, macrophages, fibroblasts, and tumor cells) in ST slides from PT. ***p < 0.001, by the Wilcoxon rank sum test (paired samples, two-tailed). k Spatial map of NCC-LN13 ST slide showing the localization of vSMCs, aSMCs, and three EC subtypes, revealing the co-localization relationship between vSMCs and vECs and between aSMCs and aECs. Colors in each subgraph represent the corresponding cell type of bin50 spots. l Spatial map of NCC-LN13 ST slide showing the localization of vSMCs, aSMCs, immune cells, and tumor cells, revealing the co-localization relationship between vSMCs and different immune cells. Colors in each subgraph represent the corresponding cell type of bin50 spots.

Back to article page