uPAR (PLAUR) Marks Two Intra-Tumoral Subtypes of Glioblastoma: Insights from Single-Cell RNA Sequencing

Urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) encoded by the PLAUR gene is known as a clinical marker for cell invasiveness in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). It is additionally implicated in various processes, including angiogenesis and inflammation within the tumor microenvironment. However, there has not been a comprehensive study that depicts the overall functions and molecular cooperators of PLAUR with respect to intra-tumoral subtypes of GBM. Using single-cell RNA sequencing data from 37 GBM patients, we identified PLAUR as a marker gene for two distinct subtypes in GBM. One subtype is featured by inflammatory activities and the other subtype is marked by ECM remodeling processes. Using the whole-transcriptome data from single cells, we are able to uncover the molecular cooperators of PLAUR for both subtypes without presuming biological pathways. Two protein networks comprise the molecular context of PLAUR, with each of the two subtypes characterized by a different dominant network. We concluded that targeting PLAUR directly influences the mechanisms represented by these two protein networks, regardless of the subtype of the targeted cell.