About this Research Topic
The extracellular matrix (ECM) undergoes aberrations during cancer development, progression, and metastasis, creating significant heterogeneity within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Despite being an underappreciated topic, emerging evidence shows that ECM stiffness impacts immune cell proliferation, plasticity, maturation, activation, and spatial distribution within tumor tissues. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic and complex interplay between the ECM and immune cells is essential for deciphering tumor immunity.
The research on cancer biology has gained momentum with the introduction of omics approaches. Recent advancements in various omics-wide methods (including genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics including spatial, proteomics, and metabolomics) provide deeper insights into ECM-driven tumor immunity by integrating data from multiple molecular layers. These integrative omics approaches may reveal previously unexplored heterogeneity in cell-matrix interactions and regulatory mechanisms that might not be evident when analyzing each omics layer separately. Additionally, harnessing an omics (or multi) approach also facilitates therapeutic advancements in cancer.
The comprehensive goal of this Research Topic is to provide a forum to understand the importance, recent advancements, encountered challenges, and future perspectives of the contributions of heterogeneous ECM in tumor immunity during pathogenesis. ECM-immune cell crosstalk within the TME, in unison with tumor cells, has opened a vast area of research and discussion. Our broad aim is also to explore articles that depict innovations and interventions by harnessing omics technologies to decipher the interplay between tumor immunity and the ECM. Omics-guided recognition of potential targets for therapeutic interventions in heterogeneous ECM-immune networks is crucial. Additionally, we would like to explore how omics data can aid in determining points of intervention in ECM biology to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy.
If sufficient validation has been provided (e.g. clinical data), manuscripts consisting solely of advanced research with theoretical analysis utilizing artificial intelligence may be considered within the scope of this section and welcomed as part of this Research Topic.
We are accepting Original Research Articles or Reviews including, but not limited to, the bullet points below:
• Harnessing omics to decipher the hallmarks of heterogeneity in ECM-immune cell crosstalk.
• Exploring the uncharted interplay between cancer immunity and ECM heterogeneity.
• Omics-guided (e.g., epigenomics, scRNAseq, proteomics, metabolomics) search for predictive biomarkers in ECM remodeling within the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME).
• Omics-wide approach to characterize altered ECM dynamics reshaping tumor immunity.
• ECM dynamics as a modulator of the immune cell transcriptome, proteome, secretome, and metabolism.
• Spatial biology of the TME: ECM-immune cell interplay.
• Omics approaches to identify targetable dysregulation in the ECM-immunity network.
• Involving artificial intelligence in integrative omics approaches to decipher ECM and tumor heterogeneity in cancer.
• Harnessing ECM to improve the efficacy of immunotherapies.
The research on cancer biology has gained momentum with the introduction of omics approaches. Recent advancements in various omics-wide methods (including genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics including spatial, proteomics, and metabolomics) provide deeper insights into ECM-driven tumor immunity by integrating data from multiple molecular layers. These integrative omics approaches may reveal previously unexplored heterogeneity in cell-matrix interactions and regulatory mechanisms that might not be evident when analyzing each omics layer separately. Additionally, harnessing an omics (or multi) approach also facilitates therapeutic advancements in cancer.
The comprehensive goal of this Research Topic is to provide a forum to understand the importance, recent advancements, encountered challenges, and future perspectives of the contributions of heterogeneous ECM in tumor immunity during pathogenesis. ECM-immune cell crosstalk within the TME, in unison with tumor cells, has opened a vast area of research and discussion. Our broad aim is also to explore articles that depict innovations and interventions by harnessing omics technologies to decipher the interplay between tumor immunity and the ECM. Omics-guided recognition of potential targets for therapeutic interventions in heterogeneous ECM-immune networks is crucial. Additionally, we would like to explore how omics data can aid in determining points of intervention in ECM biology to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy.
If sufficient validation has been provided (e.g. clinical data), manuscripts consisting solely of advanced research with theoretical analysis utilizing artificial intelligence may be considered within the scope of this section and welcomed as part of this Research Topic.
We are accepting Original Research Articles or Reviews including, but not limited to, the bullet points below:
• Harnessing omics to decipher the hallmarks of heterogeneity in ECM-immune cell crosstalk.
• Exploring the uncharted interplay between cancer immunity and ECM heterogeneity.
• Omics-guided (e.g., epigenomics, scRNAseq, proteomics, metabolomics) search for predictive biomarkers in ECM remodeling within the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME).
• Omics-wide approach to characterize altered ECM dynamics reshaping tumor immunity.
• ECM dynamics as a modulator of the immune cell transcriptome, proteome, secretome, and metabolism.
• Spatial biology of the TME: ECM-immune cell interplay.
• Omics approaches to identify targetable dysregulation in the ECM-immunity network.
• Involving artificial intelligence in integrative omics approaches to decipher ECM and tumor heterogeneity in cancer.
• Harnessing ECM to improve the efficacy of immunotherapies.
Keywords: Omics, Extracellular matrix, Heterogeneity, Tumor, Immunity
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
