The Single-Cell Sequencing: A Dazzling Light Shining on the Dark Corner of Cancer

Abstract

Tumorigenesis refers to the process of clonal dysplasia that occurs due to the collapse of normal growth regulation in cells caused by the action of various carcinogenic factors. These “successful” tumor cells pass on the genetic templates to their generations in evolutionary terms, but they also constantly adapt to ever-changing host environments. A unique peculiarity known as intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) is extensively involved in tumor development, metastasis, chemoresistance, and immune escape. An understanding of ITH is urgently required to identify the diversity and complexity of the tumor microenvironment (TME), but achieving this understanding has been a challenge. Single-cell sequencing (SCS) is a powerful tool that can gauge the distribution of genomic sequences in a single cell and the genetic variability among tumor cells, which can improve the understanding of ITH. SCS provides fundamental ideas about existing diversity in specific TMEs, thus improving cancer diagnosis and prognosis prediction, as well as improving the monitoring of therapeutic response. Herein, we will discuss advances in SCS and review SCS application in tumors based on current evidence.

Development of ZD2767P–carboxypeptidase G2–ultrasound therapy against cisplatin-resistant cancer

“…Ferroptosis in ZD2767P-CPG2-US therapy suggested a strategy against resistant cancers, since inducing nonapoptotic cell death can combat chemoresistance (25). A cancer is heterogeneous with multiple cell subpopulations with distinct features (26)(27)(28). Ferroptosis bypasses the apoptosis pathway to lead to cell death in certain subpopulations, and offsets the apoptosis insufficiency in other subpopulations, thereby deactivating abundant cancer cells.…”