Single-cell transcriptomic analyses provide insights into the developmental origins of neuroblastoma

Nat Genet. 2021 May;53(5):683-693. doi: 10.1038/s41588-021-00806-1. Epub 2021 Mar 25.

Abstract

Neuroblastoma is a pediatric tumor of the developing sympathetic nervous system. However, the cellular origin of neuroblastoma has yet to be defined. Here we studied the single-cell transcriptomes of neuroblastomas and normal human developing adrenal glands at various stages of embryonic and fetal development. We defined normal differentiation trajectories from Schwann cell precursors over intermediate states to neuroblasts or chromaffin cells and showed that neuroblastomas transcriptionally resemble normal fetal adrenal neuroblasts. Importantly, neuroblastomas with varying clinical phenotypes matched different temporal states along normal neuroblast differentiation trajectories, with the degree of differentiation corresponding to clinical prognosis. Our work highlights the roles of oncogenic MYCN and loss of TFAP2B in blocking differentiation and may provide the basis for designing therapeutic interventions to overcome differentiation blocks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Glands / embryology
  • Adrenal Glands / pathology
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cohort Studies
  • Gene Expression Profiling*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Neuroblastoma / genetics*
  • Neuroblastoma / pathology*
  • Single-Cell Analysis*
  • Transcriptome / genetics
  • Treatment Outcome