Single-cell RNA sequencing and bioinformatics as tools to decipher cancer heterogenicity and mechanisms of drug resistance

Biochem Pharmacol. 2022 Jan:195:114811. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114811. Epub 2021 Oct 18.

Abstract

It is well known that cancer is an aggressive disease, often associated with relapse, in many cases due to drug resistance. Cancer stem cell and clonal evolution are frequently causes of innate or acquired drug resistance. Current RNA sequencing technologies do not distinguish gene expression of different cell lineages because they are based on bulk cell studies. Single-cell RNA sequencing technologies and related bioinformatics clustering and differential expression analysis represent a turning point in cancer research. They are emerging as essential tools for dissecting tumors at single-cell resolution and represent novel tools to understand carcinogenesis and drug response. In this review, we will outline the role of these new technologies in addressing cancer heterogeneity and cell lineage-dependent drug resistance.

Keywords: Bioinformatics data analysis; Cancer clonal evolution; Cancer stem cells; Drug resistance; scRNA-seq.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Computational Biology / methods*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Profiling / methods
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Genetic Heterogeneity*
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Neoplasms / therapy
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA / methods*
  • Single-Cell Analysis / methods*