The extracellular-matrix-remodeling capability exposes therapeutic vulnerability in a subset of renal cell carcinomas with tumor thrombi

Preoperative downstaging of renal cell carcinoma with a tumor thrombus (RCC-TT) makes thrombectomy feasible. However, treatment resistance is common and may partly be attributed to the tumor-promoting role of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Herein, we sequenced, integrated, and comprehensively analyzed multi-center, multi-omics data from 164 RCC-TT patients and identified two clinically relevant RCC-TT subtypes. We find that the poor-prognosis subtype (TT1) exhibits enhanced extracellular-matrix (ECM) remodeling driven by epithelial LOX expression. Spatial transcriptomics (ST) shows the co-localization of GPNMB + macrophages, THBS2 + fibroblasts, and LOX + malignant cells around tumor nests in TT1 tumors, reinforcing tumor immune barriers (TIBs). Our extensive validations using cell lines, syngeneic mouse models, multiplex immunofluorescence staining, and large-scale RCC cohorts underscore the potential of LOX inhibition in disrupting TIBs, sensitizing RCC to immunotherapy, and overcoming treatment-induced phenotypic plasticity. This study provides insights into the biological underpinnings and prognosis assessment of RCC-TT, demonstrating targetable ECM-remodeling vulnerabilities.