Developmental and oncogenic programs in H3K27M gliomas dissected by single-cell RNA-seq

The cellular composition of H3K27M gliomas Diffuse midline gliomas with histone H3 lysine27-to-methionine mutations (H3K27M-glioma) are an aggressive type of childhood cancer with few options for treatment. Filbin et al. used a single-cell sequencing approach to study the oncogenic programs, genetics, and cellular hierarchies of H3K27M-glioma. Tumors were mainly composed of cells resembling oligodendrocyte precursor cells, whereas differentiated malignant cells were a smaller fraction. In comparison with other gliomas, these cancers had distinct oncogenic programs and stem cell–like profiles that contributed to their stable tumor-propagating potential. The analysis also identified a lineage-specific marker that may be useful in developing therapies. Science , this issue p. 331