Fig. 5

Interaction between tumor cells and myeloid cells via MIF signaling. A UMAP dimensionality reduction and visualization categorize the cell populations of the entire oral tumor mucosa and normal oral mucosa into 9 cell clusters. B UMAP dimensionality reduction and visualization display the sample origins of all single-cell data and the distribution of cells from each sample across the 9 cell clusters. C Violin plots show the expression levels of highly expressed marker genes across all cell clusters within the 9 identified clusters. D UMAP dimensionality reduction and visualization results further divide the 9 cell clusters into 18 cell subpopulations. E Dot plot highlights enhance interaction signals between epithelial cells and myeloid cells within tumor tissue, predominantly mediated by MIF-CD74. F Heatmap illustrates the intensified emission of MIF signals from epithelial cells in tumor tissue and the enhanced reception of MIF signals by myeloid cells within the same context. G Shell plots describe the intensity of MIF signaling in tumor groups versus normal groups, emphasizing the increased strength of MIF signaling from epithelial cells to myeloid cells in tumor groups. H Heatmap details the intensity of MIF signaling in tumor and normal groups, underscoring the amplified MIF signal strength from epithelial cells to myeloid cells in tumor groups