Identification of an epigenetically and phenotypically distinct peritumoral glioblastoma cell population linked to inferior patient outcome

Abstract

Glioblastoma (GB) is an aggressive and therapy-resistant primary brain tumor with dismal prognosis. Lethality is in most patients caused by a local peritumoral (Edge) relapse near the resection cavity. This region is insufficiently studied and experimental models are scarce. We have analyzed matched tissue samples and cell cultures from bulk tumors and Edge regions of 11 GB patients. Genomic profiling displayed similar genetic alterations and subclonal distributions of matched bulk and Edge regions. Functional, phenotypic and combined single nucleus (sn) RNA-seq and ATAC-seq analyses showed distinct differences between bulk and Edge GB cells with similar shifts across patients. Sn multiomics uncovered a subset of Edge cells defined by unique chromatin accessibility signatures and elevated mesenchymal and immune gene expression. Integrated computational and functional investigations converged on microglia-derived Oncostatin-M as a driver of the Edge-unique phenotype, and high expression of Edge-related signatures correlated with inferior patient outcome in independent GB cohorts.