Integrating spatial and single-cell transcriptomes reveals the role of COL1A2(+) MMP1(+/-) cancer-associated fibroblasts in ER-positive breast cancer.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are highly heterogeneous cells and important components of the breast tumor microenvironment (TME). However, their role and clinical value in ER-positive breast cancer have not been fully clarified. Our study aims to comprehensively characterize the heterogeneity, potential biological functions, and molecular mechanisms of CAFs in ER-positive breast cancer within the tumor microenvironment using multi-omics data, to provide new strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of ER-positive breast cancer patients.