Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40200220›Full record

ArticleCancer cell international2025

CD44 on cancer stem cell is a potential immunological and prognostic pan-cancer biomarker.

Ya-Juan Zhu, Si-Ying Li, Shan-Shan Yang, Yang Du, Zhuo-Yuan Zhang, Ji-Yan Liu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer cell international, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing 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

13 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Schisandrin B targets CD44 to inhibit glioblastoma multiforme.Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology · 2026
    Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2025
    Review
  12. Article
  13. Article
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

6 authors.

Ya-Juan Zhu *Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Si-Ying Li *Department of Liver Surgery, Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Shan-Shan Yang *Molecular Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Yang DuDepartment of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Zhuo-Yuan ZhangDepartment of Head and Neck Cancer Surgery, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. 407816983@qq.com.
Ji-Yan LiuDepartment of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. liujiyan1972@163.com.

Funding

National Key R&D·Program of China 2023YFC3403200National Natural Science Foundation of China No. 82103460
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCD44, a widely recognized cancer stem cell marker, displayed a vital participation in the cancer immune invasion and may related with the response to the immunotherapy. However, the role of CD44 in cancer immunology is not well defined. Therefore, we intended to explore its prognostic value and potential immunological functions across 33 human cancer types.

methodsBased on the data of patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Sangerbox was used to analyze the correlations between CD44 expression and tumor-infiltrated immune cells, immune checkpoints, neoantigens, microsatellite instability (MSI), and tumor mutational burden (TMB) in human cancers. A mouse model xenografted with shRNA-CD44 MC38 was established.

resultsThe elevated CD44 was associated with tumor stage and prognosis in several different cancers. GSEA results showed that upregulated CD44 involved in cancer stem cell associated process, antigen processing and presentation, and immune cells proliferation and activation. CD44 plays an essential role in the tumor immune regulation and immune checkpoints inhibitor response. The correlation of CD44 gene expression and infiltration levels of immune cells varied across different cancer types. Notably, the upregulation of CD44 expression is positively correlated with regulatory CD4 T cells, macrophages M1 and M2 in several analyzed cancers. Furthermore, we verified the effect of CD44 on tumor growth and immune microenvironment in mouse xenografted with shRNA-CD44 MC38. Moreover, DNA methylation existed in CD44 expression and associated with dysfunctional T-cell phenotypes via different mechanisms, thus resulting in tissue-dependent prognoses.

conclusionCD44 is both a cancer stem cell marker and a potential prognostic and immunological biomarker in various malignant tumors. Moreover, CD44 could be a novel target for immune-based therapy.

Indexed as

Cancer prognosisCD44Immune checkpointsInfiltrated immune cells

Identifiers

PMID40200220
PMCPMC11978154

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.