Transcriptomic analysis identifies novel cancer associated fibroblast marker in the breast tumour microenvironment

Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) contribute to tumourigenesis and immune tolerance within the tumour microenvironment (TME). However, the absence of specific molecular markers complicates selective CAF targeting. This study aims to identify novel CAF-specific biomarkers with dual functionality: enhancing anti-tumor immunity and suppressing malignant progression. To address this, we conducted comparative transcriptomic profiling via RNA sequencing of patient-matched CAFs and normal fibroblasts (NFs) isolated from the same breast cancer patient, revealing potential targets with therapeutic relevance. Overall design: CAFs/NFs were collected from 12 patients with Luminal A (n = 11) and TNBC (n = 1). RNA-seq profiling of CAFs/NFs was extracted from passage 3 CAFs and NFs.