Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39847441›Full record

ArticleNeuro-oncology2025

Spatially resolved transcriptomics of benign and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors.

Juliane Bremer, Pamela Franco, Joelle Aline Menstell, Shelisa Tey, Kamil Kajetan Zajt, Klimentina Popzhelyazkova, Kay Nolte, Jürgen Schlegel, Maria Teresa Pedro, Anja Osterloh and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neuro-oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Juliane BremerInstitute of Neuropathology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-0268-9425
Pamela FrancoDepartment of Neurosurgery, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.
Joelle Aline MenstellFaculty of Medicine, Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.
Shelisa TeyInstitute of Neuropathology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Kamil Kajetan ZajtInstitute of Neuropathology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Klimentina PopzhelyazkovaInstitute of Neuropathology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Kay NolteInstitute of Neuropathology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Jürgen SchlegelInstitute of Pathology, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
Maria Teresa PedroDepartment of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Ulm, Günzburg, Germany.
Anja OsterlohInstitute of Pathology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
Daniel DelevDepartment of Neurosurgery, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Erlangen, Germany.
Marc HohenhausFaculty of Medicine, Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.
Christoph ScholzFaculty of Medicine, Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.
Oliver SchnellDepartment of Neurosurgery, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Erlangen, Germany.
Juergen BeckFaculty of Medicine, Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.
Joachim WeisInstitute of Neuropathology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-3280-6773
Dieter Henrik HeilandGerman Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

Funding

Else Kröner-Fresenius FoundationGerman Cancer ConsortiumGerman Ministry of Education and Research 031L0260B
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPeripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs) encompass entities with different cellular differentiation and degrees of malignancy. Spatial heterogeneity complicates the diagnosis and grading of PNSTs in some cases. In malignant PNST (MPNST) for example, single-cell sequencing data has shown dissimilar differentiation states of tumor cells. Here, we aimed to determine the spatial and biological heterogeneity of PNSTs.

methodsWe performed spatial transcriptomics on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded diseased peripheral nerve tissue. We used spatial clustering and weighted correlation network analysis to construct niche-similarity networks and gene expression modules. We determined differential expression in primary pathologies, analyzed pathways to investigate the biological significance of identified meta-signatures, integrated the transcriptional data with histological features and existing single-cell data, and validated expression data by immunohistochemistry.

resultsWe identified distinct transcriptional signatures differentiating PNSTs. Immune cell infiltration, APOD, and perineurial fibroblast marker expression highlighted the neurofibroma component of hybrid PNSTs (HPNSTs). While APOD was evenly expressed in neurofibromatous tumor tissue in both, HPNST and pure neurofibromas, perineurial fibroblast markers were evenly expressed in HPNST, but restricted to the periphery in plexiform neurofibromas. Furthermore, we provide a spatial cellular differentiation map for MPNST, locating Schwann cell precursor and neural crest-like cells as well as those with mesenchymal transition.

conclusionsThis pilot study shows that applying spatial transcriptomics to PNSTs provides important insight into their biology. It helps establish new markers and provides spatial information about the cellular composition and distribution of cellular differentiation states. By integrating morphological and high-dimensional molecular data it can improve PNSTs classification in the future.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorNerve Sheath NeoplasmsTranscriptomeFemaleGene Expression ProfilingHumansMaleBiomarkers, Tumorbiomarkerperipheral nerve sheath tumorsspatial transcriptomics

Identifiers

PMID39847441
PMCPMC12448819

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.