Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40796746›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

COUP-TFII-mediated reprogramming of the vascular endothelium counteracts tumor immune evasion.

Yu Zhu, Kevin F Brulois, Thanh T Dinh, Junliang Pan, Eugene C Butcher

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 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. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. 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

5 authors.

Yu Zhu *Laboratory of Immunology and Vascular Biology, Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. zhuyu88@stanford.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3250-6546
Kevin F BruloisLaboratory of Immunology and Vascular Biology, Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
Thanh T DinhLaboratory of Immunology and Vascular Biology, Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
Junliang PanLaboratory of Immunology and Vascular Biology, Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2373-0917
Eugene C Butcher *Laboratory of Immunology and Vascular Biology, Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. ebutcher@stanford.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8786-7907

Funding

T32 Training Program in Mechanisms and Innovation in Vascular DiseaseT32HL098049 · NHLBI · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · PI Nicholas James Leeper, Philip S Tsao · 2010 to 2026
$6.3M
Progenitor Cells for High Endothelium in the Immune ResponseR01AI130471 · NIAID · PALO ALTO VETERANS INSTIT FOR RESEARCH · PI EUGENE C BUTCHER · 2017 to 2026
$5.0M
Tumor and Immune Programming of Tumor-AssociatedEndotheliumR01CA228019 · NCI · PALO ALTO VETERANS INSTIT FOR RESEARCH · PI BUTCHER, EUGENE C · 2019 to 2023
$2.2M
Ultra high throughput sequencer for sustaining and enhancing multi-scale genomic studiesS10OD025212 · OD · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · PI SNYDER, MICHAEL P. · 2018 to 2018
$600k
Computer ClusterS10OD021763 · OD · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · PI JI, HANLEE P · 2016 to 2016
$481k
Blocking an Endogenous Inhibitor of Anti-tumor Leukocyte RecruitmentF32CA200103 · NCI · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · PI BRULOIS, KEVIN · 2015 to 2017
$137k
Cancer Research Institute (CRI) N/ADivision of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (Division of Intramural Research of the NIAID) AI130471NCI NIH HHS F32 CA200103NCI NIH HHS R01 CA228019NHLBI NIH HHS T32 HL098049NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI130471NIH HHS S10 OD021763NIH HHS S10 OD025212Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) T33IR6609U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) CA228019
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

T cell scarcity in tumor tissues poses a critical challenge to cancer immunotherapy. Here we manipulate the tumor vasculature, an essential regulator of immune cell trafficking, to reinvigorate anti-tumor T cell responses in "cold" tumors. We show that ectopic pan-endothelial expression of COUP-TFII, a master transcription factor for venous development, induces molecular programs of post-capillary venules in tumor endothelium. Venular reprogramming selectively promotes T cell recruitment into tumors, inhibits tumor growth in mouse models of breast and pancreatic cancers, and sensitizes tumors to immune checkpoint blockade and adoptive T cell transfer therapies. Mechanistic studies show that enhanced recruitment of anti-tumor T cells and tumor inhibition are mediated by COUP-TFII-induced vascular adhesion receptors. Our study supports a pivotal role of vascular endothelial cells in governing tumor immune evasion, and proposes venular reprogramming as a therapeutic strategy to bolster anti-tumor immunity and immunotherapy.

Indexed as

COUP Transcription Factor IIEndothelium, VascularNeoplasmsTumor EscapeAnimalsBreast NeoplasmsCell Line, TumorCellular ReprogrammingEndothelial CellsFemaleHumansImmunotherapyMiceMice, Inbred C57BLPancreatic NeoplasmsT-LymphocytesCOUP Transcription Factor II

Identifiers

PMID40796746
PMCPMC12343902

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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.