Abstract 3176: Modeling the complex multi-cellular ecosystem of the tumor microenvironment in colorectal cancer using multi-omics data

Abstract

Abstract The high inter-tumoral phenotypic heterogeneity of colorectal cancer exists within the tumor microenvironment (TME), which ultimately contributes to overall tumor survival. Tumor cells, as the center of the tumor microenvironment, employ sophisticated signaling networks to alter the cell fate decisions between cancerous and non-cancerous cells. A complex network of interactions is the source of this intercellular communication, resulting in tumor growth and progression, drug resistance, and ineffective treatment response. Recent experimental developments in colorectal cancer (CRC) have shown that understanding various underlying mechanisms of tumor growth and progression requires an in-depth understanding of the complex interactions between tumor cells and their surrounding microenvironment. Here, we analyze single-cell RNA sequencing data in CRC and construct gene regulatory networks to define interactions and identify cell states within the TME. The gene regulatory networks are incorporated as a multi-cellular ecosystem representing an experiment-based computational model of phenotypic crosstalk within the TME of CRC. The model simulates and predicts the multi-cellular responses to colorectal cancer to probe and identify mechanisms of cell state evolution and decisions resulting from chemo-agents, used to target TME components. This research will further our understanding of the multi-cellular crosstalk underlying the mechanisms within the TME and facilitate the development and optimization of cancer therapies that inhibit tumor growth in CRC. Citation Format: Geena Ildefonso, Stacey Finley. Modeling the complex multi-cellular ecosystem of the tumor microenvironment in colorectal cancer using multi-omics data [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 3176.