Tumor cells coexist with diverse immune, stromal, and neural cells in a complex microenvironment. Recent single-cell and spatial transcriptomics have uncovered specialized cell subsets that drive cancer progression, immune evasion, and treatment response. A new review synthesizes these advances, introduces the “virtual tumor” concept for AI-driven ecosystem modeling, and outlines a roadmap from fundamental tumor microenvironment (TME) biology to next-generation precision immunotherapies targeting specific cell populations and their coordinated networks.

Long COVID (LC), characterized by onset of symptoms within 3 months of COVID-19, poses a major clinical challenge. This highlights the need for biomarkers to evaluate the pathophysiology of LC. In this context, researchers have analyzed the antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins in patients with LC. It was observed that N-antibody levels reflected prior infection severity, while lower S-antibody levels were linked to memory problems and poor quality of life.

Recently, the team led by Qiyi Zhao, Yusheng Jie, and Yutian Chong from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University published their latest research titled “Transfer RNA-derived small RNA-Gly activates the ACPH/GRHL1 axis to facilitate liver cell regeneration in acute-on chronic liver failure” in SCIENCE CHINA Life Sciences. This study uncovered the critical role of transfer RNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) in mediating liver regeneration. It reveals a novel molecular mechanism by which tsRNA-Gly promotes hepatocyte regeneration in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) by activating the ACPH/GRHL1 signaling axis, providing a potential new therapeutic target for liver failure.

A propensity score-matched cohort study compared kidney-sparing surgery with radical nephroureterectomy in patients with ureteral urothelial carcinoma. After matching, radical nephroureterectomy was associated with better overall and cancer-specific survival, especially in selected subgroups. The findings support refined risk stratification and careful patient selection

Researchers investigated the prevalence of an emerging foodborne disease-causing bacterium in wild raccoons and environmental water. They found genetic similarities between the strains found in both, suggesting possible transmission between wildlife and water. Genomic analyses of samples taken from the raccoons showed that many strains found in the animals carried virulence genes associated with diarrhea outbreaks in humans.