Tumor subregion and immune cell type-selective proteomic profiling

University Of Illinois At Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

Project Abstract A tumor is complex ecosystem in which cancer cells interact with diverse immune cells, creating a cancer- supportive microenvironment. The locations of these immune cells within a tumor significantly affect their functions, which are associated with cancer progression, metastasis, and response to therapy. We propose to develop a novel spatial proteomics approach by integrating 3D microscopy techniques with bottom-up proteomic assays, which can offer deep proteome profiles of specific immune cells at various subregions of a tumor. In Aim 1, we will develop a workflow involving 3D photobleaching-mediated spatial fluorescence encoding of immune cells located in different subregions of a mouse tumor. In Aim 2, we will apply the spatial proteomics method to identify macrophage niches associated with therapeutic responses in the tumor microenvironment. If successful, this innovative approach will revolutionize our ability not only to understand the spatially associated functions of immune cells in tumors but also to discover new immune cell niches as biomarkers and targets for accurate diagnosis and effective therapy for cancers.