Single cell RNA-sequence reveals the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on immune cells in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

In this study, we comprehensively investigated the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) on immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) using single cell RNA sequence. CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages in TME of ESCC all showed higher levels of anti-tumor immune response in the NAC(+) group than in the NAC(-) group. Furthermore, the immune cells in the TME of the NAC(+) group interacted with each other to enhance the anti-tumor immune response. Our results suggest that NAC potentially enhance the anti-tumor immune response of immune cells in the TME. Overall design: 18 human ESCC tissues and 12 human normal esophageal tissues with squamous cell mucosa from surgically resected specimens or biopsied specimens under gastroscopy