Liver cancer
Endothelial Cells Contribute to the Immune-Vascular Milieu Characterizing VETC+ HCC
By Durante B, Zanella S, de Napoli F and 19 others.
Abstract
Introduction
Vessel encapsulating tumor cluster (VETC) defines a distinct vascular phenotype of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), characterized by tumor nests fully encased within a continuous endothelial lining. This architecture correlates with poor prognosis and enhanced sensitivity to anti-angiogenic therapies. To dissect the morphological, phenotypical, molecular, and functional programs that define VETC-associated ECs in HCC and to identify endothelial pathways potentially driving VETC vascular organization and tumor progression.
Methods
Biological samples (blood, plasma, Peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and tissue) were collected from VETC+ and VETC- HCCs. Quantitative tissue imaging was integrated with EC-specific molecular profiling. Vascular architecture was assessed on whole-slide images, and purified tumor ECs underwent targeted and transcriptome-wide gene expression analyses.