Figure 3 from Pulsed Electric Field Ablation Reprograms Tumor Immunity and Stimulates Germinal Center Formation in Tertiary Lymphoid Structures in Patients with Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Year: 2026
Type: other
Abstract: The ablation induces remodeling within the TME that leads to an influx of immune cells. A, t-Distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) plots after clustering analysis based on AbSeq and scRNA-seq, showing shifts in gene expression in the various cell populations within the TME (preablation, n = 20; postablation, n = 25). The annotated subpopulations and classification markers are summarized in Supplementary Table S3. B, The mean percentage of total cells is shown (±SD) for each indicated population from patient samples analyzed by scRNA-seq (preablation, n = 20; postablation, n = 25). P values were calculated using the propeller method. C, Line graph demonstrating the fold change in HMGB1 levels in serum collected within 5 days after ablation relative to baseline in paired samples from the ablation (n = 19) and control groups (n = 2). D, Violin plots demonstrating the mean expression level of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) in neutrophils and cDCs from patient samples analyzed by scRNA-seq (preablation, n = 20; postablation, n = 25). Blue lines represent the median, and P values were calculated using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. E, Heatmap showing the Z-score for the mean log2 ratio of the fluorescent intensity (FI) cytokine values from postablation samples relative to baseline for serum and tissue cytokines. Cytokines were obtained from serum (n = 33), preablation biopsies (n = 4), and postablation surgical resection samples (n = 16) and analyzed via a multiplexed Luminex assay. Each sample was run in duplicate for each analyte at each time point, and the mean FI was used for analysis relative to baseline levels. Postablation serum samples were collected within 5 days of ablation (early), as well as immediately prior to surgery (resection), and tumor tissue was collected at resection and compared with preablation biopsies. F, Bar plots represent the mean FI (±SD) for the indicated cytokines from preablation biopsies (n = 4) and postablation samples (n = 16). P values were generated using a two-tailed, unpaired t test. G, Violin plots demonstrating the mean expression level of CXCL9 and CXCL10 in the indicated cell populations before ablation (n = 20) and after ablation (n = 25), as analyzed by scRNA-seq. H, Violin plots demonstrating gene expression changes in factors involved in interferon (IFN) responses in neutrophils before ablation (n = 20) and after ablation (n = 25). Asterisks (*) indicate samples for which the adjusted P value was also significant (P < 0.05). cDC, conventional DC. [Created in BioRender. Pastori, C. (2026) https://BioRender.com/a5lhszw.].
Authors: Marcelo Jimenez, Beryl A. Hatton, Alicia Moreno-Gonzalez, Jeffrey S. Iding, Javier Flandes, Erik H.F.M. van der Heijden, Calvin S.H. Ng, Carlos Prieto, Cristina Teodosio, Juan A. Flores-Montero, Marta Rodríguez-González, Oderay Mabel Cedeño Diaz, Shoko Vos, Rainbow W.H. Lau, Medard E. Kaiza, William H. Moore, Alberto Orfao, Tullia C. Bruno
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W7204968512