Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40054524›Full record

ArticleCellular and molecular gastroenterology and hepatology2025

Cortactin Facilitates Malignant Transformation of Dysplastic Cells in Gastric Cancer Development.

Alexis A Guenther, Suyeon Ahn, Jimin Min, Changqing Zhang, Hyuk-Joon Lee, Han-Kwang Yang, Bong Hwan Sung, Alissa M Weaver, Eunyoung Choi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cellular and molecular gastroenterology and hepatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Rab27: Molecular switch of tumor exosome secretion (Review).International journal of molecular medicine · 2026
    Review
  3. Review
  4. Signaling pathways and targeted interventions for precancers.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2026
    Review
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Alexis A GuentherEpithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee.
Suyeon AhnEpithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Jimin MinEpithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Current affiliation: Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Sheikh Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
Changqing ZhangEpithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Hyuk-Joon LeeDepartment of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Han-Kwang YangDepartment of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Bong Hwan SungDepartment of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; The Vanderbilt Center for Extracellular Vesicle Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Program in Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee.
Alissa M WeaverDepartment of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; The Vanderbilt Center for Extracellular Vesicle Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Program in Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Eunyoung ChoiEpithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee. Electronic address: eunyoung.choi@vumc.org.

Funding

Tumor Immunology and Microenvironment Research ProgramP30CA068485 · NCI · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI STACIE B DUSETZINA · 1995 to 2026
$172.8M
Translational Analysis CoreP30DK058404 · NIDDK · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI RICHARD M. PEEK · 2002 to 2026
$29.9M
Vanderbilt Diabetes Research CenterP30DK020593 · NIDDK · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI ALVIN C POWERS · 2012 to 2026
$29.3M
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center SPORE in Gastrointestinal CancerP50CA236733 · NCI · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI Robert J. Coffey · 2019 to 2026
$19.6M
Shop Module CoreP30EY008126 · NEI · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI David J. Calkins · 1989 to 2026
$19.6M
Vanderbilt Mouse Metabolic Physiology CenterU24DK059637 · NIDDK · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · PI WASSERMAN, DAVID H · 2001 to 2015
$14.9M
Hierarchy of oncogenic gene mutations in gastric carcinogenesisR01CA272687 · NCI · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI CHOI, EUNYOUNG, GOLDENRING, JAMES RICHARD · 2022 to 2025
$5.3M
Exosome secretion in breast cancer progressionR01CA206458 · NCI · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · PI PONIK, SUZANNE MARIE, WEAVER, ALISSA M · 2016 to 2025
$4.6M
Drivers of gastric pre-neoplasiaR37CA244970 · NCI · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI CHOI, EUNYOUNG · 2020 to 2025
$2.7M
Exosomes in HNSCC ProgressionR01CA249684 · NCI · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · PI WEAVER, ALISSA M · 2021 to 2025
$2.0M
Exosome Secretion in Tumor AggressivenessR50CA283661 · NCI · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · PI Bong Hwan Sung · 2024 to 2026
$603k
BLRD VA IS1 BX003097NCI NIH HHS P30 CA068485NCI NIH HHS P50 CA236733NCI NIH HHS R01 CA206458NCI NIH HHS R01 CA249684NCI NIH HHS R01 CA272687NCI NIH HHS R37 CA244970NCI NIH HHS R50 CA283661NEI NIH HHS P30 EY008126NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK020593NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK058404NIDDK NIH HHS U24 DK059637
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND &

aimsEpithelial cancer onset occurs through sequential stages of cell lineage conversion and functional dysregulation. Dysplasia is a precancerous lesion defined as a direct precursor to cancer and is histologically defined as a transition stage between pre-cancer and cancer, but molecular and biological mechanisms controlling its transformation to malignancy are underdetermined. Here, we discover the crucial role of the actin stabilization and exosome secretion-regulatory protein cortactin in dysplastic cell transformation to adenocarcinoma.

methodsWe engineered a CRISPR/Cas9-based cortactin knock-out (KO) dysplasia organoid model established from dysplastic tissue and examined malignant roles of cortactin during gastric cancer development in vitro and in vivo.

resultsAlthough dysplastic cell identity remained unchanged, the cortactin KO organoids exhibited a decrease in cellular organization and multicellular protrusions, which are considered aggressive features when observed in vitro. When injected into the flank of nude mice, cortactin KO cells failed malignant transformation into adenocarcinoma and solid tumor formation with reduced recruitment of fibroblasts and macrophages. In addition, cortactin KO cells showed diminished exosome secretion levels, and adenocarcinoma development was impaired when exosome secretion was inhibited in cortactin wild-type dysplastic cells.

conclusionsThese data suggest that cortactin is a functional element of membrane dynamics, malignant changes, and exosome secretion in dysplastic cells, and solid gastric tumor formation associated with alteration of the tumor microenvironment.

Indexed as

AdenocarcinomaCell Transformation, NeoplasticCortactinPrecancerous ConditionsStomach NeoplasmsAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalExosomesHumansMiceMice, KnockoutMice, NudeOrganoidsCortactinCTTN protein, humanCortactinDysplasiaExtracellular VesiclesGastric CancerMetaplasiaOrganoidTumor Formation

Identifiers

PMID40054524
PMCPMC12264223

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.