Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics reveal a high glycolysis B cell and tumor-associated macrophages cluster correlated with poor prognosis and exhausted immune microenvironment in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a heterogeneous malignancy characterized by varied responses to treatment and prognoses. Understanding the metabolic characteristics driving DLBCL progression is crucial for developing personalized therapies.

This study underscores the significance of glycolysis in tumor progression and modulation of the immune microenvironment. The identified glycolysis genes and IFN_TAMs represent potential prognostic markers and therapeutic targets in DLBCL.

This study utilized multiple omics technologies including single-cell transcriptomics (n = 5), bulk transcriptomics (n = 966), spatial transcriptomics (n = 10), immunohistochemistry (n = 34), multiple immunofluorescence (n = 20) and to elucidate the metabolic features of highly malignant DLBCL cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), along with their associated tumor microenvironment. Metabolic pathway analysis facilitated by scMetabolism, and integrated analysis via hdWGCNA, identified glycolysis genes correlating with malignancy, and the prognostic value of glycolysis genes (STMN1, ENO1, PKM, and CDK1) and TAMs were verified.

High-glycolysis malignant DLBCL tissues exhibited an immunosuppressive microenvironment characterized by abundant IFN_TAMs (CD68+CXCL10+PD-L1+) and diminished CD8+ T cell infiltration. Glycolysis genes were positively correlated with malignancy degree. IFN_TAMs exhibited high glycolysis activity and closely communicating with high-malignancy DLBCL cells identified within datasets. The glycolysis score, evaluated by seven genes, emerged as an independent prognostic factor (HR = 1.796, 95% CI: 1.077-2.995, p = 0.025 and HR = 2.631, 95% CI: 1.207-5.735, p = 0.015) along with IFN_TAMs were positively correlated with poor survival (p < 0.05) in DLBCL. Immunohistochemical validation of glycolysis markers (STMN1, ENO1, PKM, and CDK1) and multiple immunofluorescence validation of IFN_TAMs underscored their prognostic value (p < 0.05) in DLBCL. Conclusions: This study underscores the significance of glycolysis in tumor progression and modulation of the immune microenvironment. The identified glycolysis genes and IFN_TAMs represent potential prognostic markers and therapeutic targets in DLBCL.