Single-cell and spatial transcriptome profiling identifies the immunosuppressive spatial niche in KRAS -mutant colorectal cancer

Background KRAS is one of the most frequently mutated genes in colorectal cancer (CRC) and plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis, progression, immune evasion, and treatment resistance. The pronounced heterogeneity within KRAS -mutant CRC highlights the urgent need for more precise and personalized therapeutic approaches. Methods To investigate this heterogeneity, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics to comprehensively characterize the tumor microenvironment of KRAS -mutant CRC. Data preprocessing and clustering were performed using Scanpy. Spatial cell-type deconvolution was conducted via Cell2location, whereas intercellular communication and spatial dependencies were analyzed using CellChat, MISTy, and stLearn. Results Our analyses revealed that KRAS -mutant tumor epithelial cells recruit Mono_ S100A8 monocytes via the MDK_SDC4 signaling axis. Concurrently, surrounding Fib_ CTHRC1 fibroblasts secrete collagen, which interacts with integrin receptors on KRAS -mutant epithelial cells and contributes to the exclusion of lymphocyte infiltration. Conclusion These cellular components collaboratively established an immunosuppressive spatial niche. These findings offer novel theoretical insights and potential targets for the development of immunoregulatory strategies tailored to KRAS -mutant CRC.