Vol. 2 No. 6 (2025)

Research Articles

Spatial Proteomics Imaging to Decode Disease Progression: A Perspective on Tumor Microenvironments

Published 2025-11-30

  • Haonan Zhang

Haonan Zhang
University of Leeds image/svg+xml

Abstract

Protein spatial imaging, rooted in spatial proteomics, enables the localization of proteins within their native environment, thus preserving structural and functional context. Its integration into cancer research has provided insights into tumor progression, especially in breast cancer, where ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) may transition into invasive breast cancer (IBC). Multiplexed ion beam imaging by time-of-flight (MIBI-TOF) has emerged as a powerful method to visualize protein distribution, tumor–stroma interactions, and immune cell dynamics. Evidence indicates that the tumor microenvironment (TME)—including stromal architecture, extracellular matrix (ECM), and immune cell infiltration—plays a central role in malignant progression. Here, we highlight recent advances in protein spatial imaging, discuss optimization strategies, and examine its implications for breast cancer progression and other diseases.

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