Spatial transcriptome profiling for nasopharyngeal carcinoma [GeoMx-DSP]

As the first human DNA tumour virus Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is detectable in over 90% of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients in the endemic regions. Genome-wide analysis of 3D chromosome conformation revealed the virus-host chromatin interactions induce spatial reorganisation of loops and compartments, exhibiting “enhancer infestation” and “H3K27 bivalency” at EBV interaction regions (EBVIRs). Through this mechanism, EBV hijacks KDM5B, a genome stability gatekeeper, and its binding targets leading to aberrant activation of the EBVIRs-enhancer-KDM5B signature. The cancer cells with this signature had increased MYC activation, DNA damage responses, and epigenetic plasticity for epithelial-immune cell dual features with metastatic potential. Our multi-centre multi-omics study further confirmed that this signature was highly relevant to chromosome instability and could be utilised as a risk factor for distant metastasis. This study highlights a novel paradigm where latent viral episomes could alter host high-order epigenotype, promoting transcriptional rewiring and risk of metastasis in NPC. Spatial transcriptome data were generated from primary NPC patients. Patients with NPC who developed distant metastasis within three years after treatment were classified as metastatic NPC (MET-NPC), while those without early metastasis were designated as non-metastatic NPC (nonMET-NPC).