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Deciphering the spatial landscape and plasticity of immunosuppressive fibroblasts in breast cancer
Croizer H, Mhaidly R, Kieffer Y, Gentric G, Djerroudi L, Leclere R, Pelon F, Robley C et al.. Nature communications, 2024-04-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Although heterogeneity of FAP+ Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAF) has been described in breast cancer, their plasticity and spatial distribution remain poorly understood. Here, we analyze trajectory inference, deconvolute spatial transcriptomics at single-cell level and perform functional assays to generate a high-resolution integrated map of breast cancer (BC), with a focus on inflammatory and myofibroblastic (iCAF/myCAF) FAP+ CAF clusters. We identify 10 spatially-organized FAP+ CAF-related cellular niches, called EcoCellTypes, which are differentially localized within tumors.
Key findings
- Here, we analyze trajectory inference, deconvolute spatial transcriptomics at single-cell level and perform functional assays to generate a high-resolution integrated map of breast cancer (BC), with a focus on inflammatory and myofibroblastic (iCAF/myCAF) FAP+ CAF clusters.
- We identify 10 spatially-organized FAP+ CAF-related cellular niches, called EcoCellTypes, which are differentially localized within tumors.
- Consistent with their spatial organization, cancer cells drive the transition of detoxification-associated iCAF (Detox-iCAF) towards immunosuppressive extracellular matrix (ECM)-producing myCAF (ECM-myCAF) via a DPP4- and YAP-dependent mechanism.
- In turn, ECM-myCAF polarize TREM2+ macrophages, regulatory NK and T cells to induce immunosuppressive EcoCellTypes, while Detox-iCAF are associated with FOLR2+ macrophages in an immuno-protective EcoCellType.
Why it matters
This study is about fibroblasts in breast cancer and their spatial organization in tumors, not Alzheimer's disease. It has no implications for treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 55/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Nature communications) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Nature Communications: journal h-index 747 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2024 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 162 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 40.5 citations a year over 4 year(s) since 2024 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 19.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 162 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Fatima Mechta‐Grigoriou: h-index 53 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Inserm: institution h-index 1,988 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 38561380) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 55 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47068-z
- PubMed: 38561380
- Original source →
- Free full text: Nature Communications →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Croizer, H., Mhaidly, R., Kieffer, Y., Gentric, G., Djerroudi, L., Leclere, R., et al. (2024). Deciphering the spatial landscape and plasticity of immunosuppressive fibroblasts in breast cancer. Nature communications. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47068-z
Vancouver
Croizer H, Mhaidly R, Kieffer Y, Gentric G, Djerroudi L, Leclere R, et al. Deciphering the spatial landscape and plasticity of immunosuppressive fibroblasts in breast cancer. Nature communications. 2024. doi:10.1038/s41467-024-47068-z. PMID: 38561380.
BibTeX
@article{croizer2024-38561380,
author = {Croizer, H. and Mhaidly, R. and Kieffer, Y. and Gentric, G. and Djerroudi, L. and Leclere, R. and Pelon, F. and Robley, C. and others},
title = {{Deciphering the spatial landscape and plasticity of immunosuppressive fibroblasts in breast cancer}},
journal = {Nature communications},
year = {2024},
doi = {10.1038/s41467-024-47068-z},
pmid = {38561380},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47068-z}
}