Single-nucleus and spatial transcriptome profiling of pancreatic cancer identifies multicellular dynamics associated with neoadjuvant treatment

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal and treatment-refractory cancer. Molecular stratification in pancreatic cancer remains rudimentary and does not yet inform clinical management or therapeutic development. Here, we construct a high-resolution molecular landscape of the cellular subtypes and spatial communities that compose PDAC using single-nucleus RNA sequencing and whole-transcriptome digital spatial profiling (DSP) of 43 primary PDAC tumor specimens that either received neoadjuvant therapy or were treatment naive. We uncovered recurrent expression programs across malignant cells and fibroblasts, including a newly identified neural-like progenitor malignant cell program that was enriched after chemotherapy and radiotherapy and associated with poor prognosis in independent cohorts. Integrating spatial and cellular profiles revealed three multicellular communities with distinct contributions from malignant, fibroblast and immune subtypes: classical, squamoid-basaloid and treatment enriched. Our refined molecular and cellular taxonomy can provide a framework for stratification in clinical trials and serve as a roadmap for therapeutic targeting of specific cellular phenotypes and multicellular interactions. Single-nucleus and spatial, whole-transcriptome profiling of 43 pancreatic adenocarcinomas provides a refined molecular and cellular classification, highlighting a new neoadjuvant treatment-associated neural-like progenitor tumor cell state.

Automated summary

This study provides a high-resolution molecular landscape of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) using single-nucleus RNA sequencing and whole-transcriptome digital spatial profiling. It identifies recurrent expression programs in malignant cells and fibroblasts, including a newly identified neural-like progenitor malignant cell program associated with poor prognosis. The study also reveals three multicellular communities with distinct contributions from malignant, fibroblast and immune subtypes. This refined molecular and cellular classification can guide clinical trials and therapeutic targeting for specific cellular phenotypes and multicellular interactions.