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Semin Liver Dis
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1787152
Review Article

Heterogeneity in Liver Cancer Immune Microenvironment: Emerging Single-Cell and Spatial Perspectives

Caiyi Cherry Li   *
1   Cancer Data Science Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
,
Meng Liu   *
1   Cancer Data Science Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
,
Hsin-Pei Lee
1   Cancer Data Science Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
,
Wenqi Wu
1   Cancer Data Science Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
,
Lichun Ma
1   Cancer Data Science Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
2   Liver Cancer Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
› Author Affiliations Funding This work was supported by grants (ZIA BC 012079 and ZIA BC 012083) from the intramural research program of the Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute of the United States.
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Abstract

Primary liver cancer is a solid malignancy with a high mortality rate. The success of immunotherapy has shown great promise in improving patient care and highlights a crucial need to understand the complexity of the liver tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Recent advances in single-cell and spatial omics technologies, coupled with the development of systems biology approaches, are rapidly transforming the landscape of tumor immunology. Here we review the cellular landscape of liver TIME from single-cell and spatial perspectives. We also discuss the cellular interaction networks within the tumor cell community in regulating immune responses. We further highlight the challenges and opportunities with implications for biomarker discovery, patient stratification, and combination immunotherapies.

Keywords

liver cancer - tumor immune microenvironment - immunotherapy - single cell and spatial omics - tumor heterogeneity

Authors' Contributions

L.M. developed study concept; C.C.L., M.L., H-P.L., W.W., and L.M. wrote the manuscript. All authors read, edited, and approved the manuscript.


* Contributed equally to this manuscript.




Publication History

Article published online:
24 May 2024

© 2024. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
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