Zhang Z, Wang HM, Xu ZX, Luan WY, Lin SX, Miao YD. Application of single-cell sequencing in the study of immune cell infiltration in inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2025; 17(6): 107382 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i6.107382]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Yan-Dong Miao, MD, Doctor, Cancer Center, Yantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, The Second Medical College of Binzhou Medical University, No. 717 Jinbu Street, Muping District, Yantai 264100, Shandong Province, China. miaoyd_22@bzmc.edu.cn
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Review
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Zheng Zhang, Hui-Min Wang, Zhen-Xi Xu, Wen-Yu Luan, Si-Xiang Lin, Yan-Dong Miao, Cancer Center, Yantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, The Second Medical College of Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264100, Shandong Province, China
Zheng Zhang, Zhen-Xi Xu, Wen-Yu Luan, Si-Xiang Lin, Yan-Dong Miao, Research and Translational Center for Immunological Disorders, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264100, Shandong Province, China
Yan-Dong Miao, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, National Key Discipline of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China
Yan-Dong Miao, Department of Oncology, Xinhui District People’s Hospital, Jiangmen 529100, Guangdong Province, China
Co-first authors: Zheng Zhang and Hui-Min Wang.
Co-corresponding authors: Si-Xiang Lin and Yan-Dong Miao.
Author contributions: Zhang Z and Wang HM performed the literature review and wrote the manuscript, contributing equally to this work; Xu ZX performed the data analyses; Luan WY performed the image drawing; Lin SX was responsible for the evolution of the overarching research goals and aims, specifically the critical review, management, and coordination responsibility for the research activity planning and execution, and acquisition of the financial support for the project leading to this publication; Miao YD was responsible for reviewing and editing the manuscript, and oversight and leadership responsibility for the research activity planning and execution including mentorship external to the core team; All authors approved the final manuscript. Lin SX and Miao YD were designated as co-corresponding authors.
Supported by the Shandong Province Medical and Health Science and Technology Development Plan Project, No. 202203030713; Yantai Science and Technology Program, No. 2024YD005, No. 2024YD007 and No. 2024YD010; and Science and Technology Program of Yantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, No. YTFY2022KYQD06.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Yan-Dong Miao, MD, Doctor, Cancer Center, Yantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, The Second Medical College of Binzhou Medical University, No. 717 Jinbu Street, Muping District, Yantai 264100, Shandong Province, China. miaoyd_22@bzmc.edu.cn
Received: March 24, 2025 Revised: April 14, 2025 Accepted: May 7, 2025 Published online: June 15, 2025 Processing time: 83 Days and 11.6 Hours
Abstract
The rapid advancement of single-cell sequencing (SCS) technology has provided new insights into the relationship between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). This technique allows for detailed cellular analysis, enabling researchers to uncover the infiltration patterns of immune cells within the gut microenvironment and their roles in disease progression. This review summarizes significant research findings on the interplay between IBD and CRC, the characteristics of immune cell infiltration, and potential therapeutic targets identified through SCS. The aim is to offer references for future clinical studies and treatment strategies in this field.
Core Tip: Single-cell sequencing technologies are revolutionizing the understanding of immune cell infiltration in colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. By providing a granular, cell-level view of immune dynamics in these diseases, single-cell RNA sequencing helps identify specific immune cell subpopulations, their roles in disease progression, and their interactions within the tumor or inflammatory microenvironment. This technology enhances the precision of immune profiling, offering new insights for early detection, prognostic markers, and personalized immunotherapies. However, challenges such as data complexity and spatial resolution limitations remain, and ongoing technological innovations are expected to further refine these capabilities.
