Metabolomic and transcriptomic profiling of HNSCC identifies AMIGO2 as a therapeutic target modulating tumor microenvironment

Extensive studies have demonstrated the relationship between metabolic reprogramming and the tumor microenvironment. Here, we characterized the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) evolutionary landscape using spatial metabolomics/transcriptomics, single-cell transcriptomics, and bulk multi-omics. Metabolic heterogeneity during HNSCC malignant transformation was identified, with significant enrichment in the purine metabolism. Integrating single-cell and bulk data, we developed a robust ligand-receptor-based signature (LRS) linked to NT5E, a key upstream regulator of purine metabolism, which served as an independent prognostic indicator. The low LRS subtype was associated with a high proportion of immune cell infiltration and improved response to immunotherapy. Notably, in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that AMIGO2, a core molecule within the LRS, regulates tumor-associated purine metabolism, and that its downregulation suppresses tumor cell invasion and migration, inhibits myofibroblast differentiation, and promotes immune effector cell infiltration. Moreover, combining AMIGO2 targeting with anti-PD-1 therapy yielded superior efficacy. Consistent validation was also obtained in a clinical cohort of HNSCC and premalignancy patients.