Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40089671›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2025

Proteomics-driven discovery of LCAT as a novel biomarker for liver metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Yuyao Wang, Zhengbo Yang, Ziqun Li, Linglong Huang, Shuangshuang Hou, Jiaqi Wang, Yang Yu, Jiajun Yin, Ju Wu

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PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Yuyao Wang *Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
Zhengbo Yang *Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, No. 6 Jiefang Street, Zhongshan District, Dalian, 116001, Liaoning Province, China.
Ziqun Li *Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
Linglong HuangDepartment of General Surgery, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, No. 6 Jiefang Street, Zhongshan District, Dalian, 116001, Liaoning Province, China.
Shuangshuang HouDepartment of Surgery, Fuyang Normal University Second Affiliated Hospital, Fuyang, China.
Jiaqi WangDepartment of General Surgery, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, No. 6 Jiefang Street, Zhongshan District, Dalian, 116001, Liaoning Province, China.
Yang YuDalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
Jiajun YinDalian Medical University, Dalian, China. yinjiajun@dlu.edu.cn.
Ju WuDepartment of General Surgery, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, No. 6 Jiefang Street, Zhongshan District, Dalian, 116001, Liaoning Province, China. wuju@s.dlu.edu.cn.

Funding

Liaoning Provincial Department of Education Fund JYTQN2023104
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study aimed to identify molecular markers that influence liver metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC) and assess their clinical relevance.

methodsProteomic analysis compared differential protein expression between CRC patients with liver metastasis (CRLM) and those without (CRNLM). Bioinformatics and survival analyses identified key proteins and validated them using the TCGA database for expression and clinical significance. Clinical and pathological data, along with tissue samples from our center, were used to create tissue microarrays for immunohistochemistry. Logistic regression assessed odds ratios (OR) for molecular markers linked to liver metastasis post-CRC surgery. Stable LCAT knockdown and overexpression CRC cell lines were constructed, and Transwell assays assessed the impact LCAT on cell migration. Nile red staining of these cells validated the effect LCAT on lipid metabolism in CRC cells.

resultsProteomic analysis identified 383 differentially expressed proteins between the CRLM and CRNLM groups (212 upregulated, 171 downregulated). Enrichment analysis linked these proteins to steroid and alcohol metabolism, inflammation, lipoproteins, and HDL particles, with key pathways in cholesterol and retinol metabolism. Lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), an important enzyme in this process, showed higher expression in CRC tissues, with increased LCAT linked to poorer 5-year OS, DSS, and PFI. LCAT expression also increased with tumor stage. Among 119 patients with CRC, preoperative complications, tumor staging, and LCAT scores differed significantly between patients with and without liver metastasis within 3 years post-surgery. LCAT and postoperative CEA levels were independent risk factors for liver metastasis (LCAT OR, 10.221; P = 0.002; CEA OR, 1.296; P = 0.014). Western blotting confirmed significantly higher LCAT expression in CRC tissues with liver metastasis. Transwell assays showed that LCAT overexpression enhanced migratory ability, while knockdown inhibited it. Nile red staining revealed increased lipid droplet accumulation in LCAT-overexpressing CRC cells, which was reduced by LCAT knockdown.

conclusionLCAT, which is involved in lipid metabolism, is an independent risk factor for liver metastasis following CRC surgery, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorColorectal NeoplasmsLiver NeoplasmsPhosphatidylcholine-Sterol O-AcyltransferaseProteomicsAgedCell Line, TumorCell MovementFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisBiomarkers, TumorPhosphatidylcholine-Sterol O-AcyltransferaseColorectal cancerLCATLipid metabolismLiver metastasis

Identifiers

PMID40089671
PMCPMC11909834

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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.