Abstract High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), the most prevalent and lethal ovarian cancer subtype, is often diagnosed at an advanced stage due to the lack of effective early detection methods. Current evidence suggests that HGSOC originates from the fallopian tube (FT), specifically from secretory epithelial cells in the fimbriated region, based on the detection of early serous lesions and clonal genetic relationships linking them to HGSOC tumors. However, efforts to improve early diagnosis and interception are hindered by an incomplete understanding of HGSOC’s cellular and molecular origin. To address this, we established a diverse, clinically and genetically annotated living FT organoid biobank at the Mayo Clinic, encompassing specimens from over 200 patient donors. Using robust, multi-step protocols, we enriched FT epithelial stem/progenitor cells from tissue samples and Tao brushings, generating bi-lineage differentiated organoids independent of anatomical site (ampulla, fimbria) or laterality (right, left). To gain deeper insight into FT epithelial lineage dynamics, we applied multi-omic modalities—including single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), single-nucleus RNA and ATAC sequencing (snMultiome), and bulk RNA-seq—to fresh cells and pooled organoids, integrating findings with public FT datasets to generate the largest known integrated single-cell atlas of normal and high-risk FTs. This enabled the generation and validation of gene expression-derived signatures for secretory and multiciliated lineages, identification of key lineage-defining transcription factors and their regulatory networks, and validation using immunohistochemistry (IHC) data from the Human Protein Atlas. Subcluster-level analysis of epithelial cells revealed transcriptionally distinct populations with unique biological functions, deepening insight into epithelial heterogeneity and FT lineage differentiation. Further, analysis of FT epithelial subclusters identified a rare population with transcriptomic and proteomic association with the mesenchymal-like HGSOC subtype. These cells retained epithelial identity while expressing mesenchymal and ECM-related genes, forming a hybrid phenotype. Spatial profiling via IHC localized them to a rare, basal, peg-like position within the FT epithelium. Developmental analysis showed shared transcriptional features with fetal mesonephric cells, suggesting both developmental plasticity and potential vulnerability to transformation. Pooled organoid scRNA-seq confirmed that they are preserved in culture, indicating they are stably maintained ex-vivo. Together, these findings suggest that this cell cluster represents a rare, multipotent epithelial population with mesenchymal features, offering a candidate cellular origin for the mesenchyme-like subtype of HGSOC. In conclusion, this living FT organoid biobank serves as a powerful, clinically annotated platform for dissecting epithelial lineage hierarchies, identifying rare cell populations, and uncovering mechanisms that may underlie subtype-specific ovarian carcinogenesis. Citation Format: Megan Ritting, Syed Mohammed Musheer Aalam, Mihai Dumbrava, Wazim Mohammed Ismail, Alexandre Gaspar-Maia, Mark Sherman, Jamie Bakkum-Gamez, Nagarajan Kannan. Tubal organoid biobanking and multi-omics framework uncovers rare basal peg cells as a source of epithelial stemness and a candidate for high-grade serous ovarian cancer origin abstract. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Advances in Ovarian Cancer Research; 2025 Sep 19-21; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85 (18Suppl): Abstract nr A078.
Ritting et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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