967-Early Fibrotic Niches Establish Tumour-Permissive TME

Paper Talk · May 14, 2026 · 23m

The research explores how mutant lung stem cells actively reconstruct their surroundings to facilitate the early stages of tumor formation. By utilizing single-cell and spatial analysis, the study identifies a specific epithelial-stromal-immune circuit driven by an amphiregulin–EGFR signaling axis. This process begins when oncogenic AT2 cells adopt a regenerative state, triggering adjacent fibroblasts to transform into a fibrotic niche that further recruits and alters immune cells. These reprogrammed macrophages and fibroblasts create a self-sustaining, tumor-permissive environment that…