Breast cancer remodels lymphatics in sentinel lymph nodes

Abstract

Cancer metastasis to sentinel lymph nodes (LNs) is often the first marker of potential disease progression. Although it is recognized that tumor-induced lymphangiogenesis facilitates metastasis into LNs in murine models, tumor-induced alterations in human lymphatic vessels remain obscure. Here we use single-cell RNA sequencing and high-resolution spatial transcriptomics to profile lymphatic endothelial cell (LEC) subsets in paired metastatic and non-metastatic LNs obtained from female patients with treatment-naïve breast cancer. Tumor metastasis decreases immunoregulatory LEC subsets, such as PD-L1⁺ subcapsular sinus LECs, while inducing an increase in capillary-like CD200⁺ HEY1⁺ LECs. Matrix Gla protein (MGP) is the most upregulated gene in metastatic LN LECs, and its expression on LECs is TGF-β and VEGF dependent. Upregulated MGP promotes cancer cell adhesion to LN lymphatics. Thus, breast cancer cell metastasis to LNs remodels LEC subsets in human LNs and escalates MGP expression, potentially facilitating cancer cell dissemination through the lymphatic system.