Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40292307›Full record

ArticleiScience2025

Hepatic iNKT cells facilitate colorectal cancer metastasis by inducing a fibrotic niche in the liver.

Marc Nater, Michael Brügger, Virginia Cecconi, Paulo Pereira, Geo Forni, Hakan Köksal, Despoina Dimakou, Michael Herbst, Anna Laura Calvanese, Giulia Lucchiari and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in iScience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. 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

13 authors.

Marc NaterInstitute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Michael BrüggerDepartment of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Virginia CecconiInstitute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Paulo PereiraInstitute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Geo ForniInstitute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Hakan KöksalInstitute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Despoina DimakouInstitute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Michael HerbstInstitute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Anna Laura CalvaneseInstitute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Giulia LucchiariInstitute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Christoph SchneiderInstitute of Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Tomas ValentaDepartment of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Maries van den BroekInstitute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The liver is an important metastatic organ that contains many innate immune cells, yet little is known about their role in anti-metastatic defense. We investigated how invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells influence colorectal cancer-derived liver metastasis using different models in immunocompetent mice. We found that hepatic iNKT cells promote metastasis by creating a supportive niche for disseminated cancer cells. Mechanistically, iNKT cells respond to disseminating cancer cells by producing the fibrogenic cytokines interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13 in a T cell receptor-independent manner. Selective abrogation of IL-4 and IL-13 sensing in hepatic stellate cells prevented their transdifferentiation into extracellular matrix-producing myofibroblasts, which hindered metastatic outgrowth of disseminated cancer cells. This study highlights a novel tumor-promoting axis driven by iNKT cells in the initial stages of metastasis.

Indexed as

Biological sciencesImmune responseImmunologyMicroenvironmentNatural sciences

Identifiers

PMID40292307
PMCPMC12032931

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.