Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41039610›Full record

ArticleCell communication and signaling : CCS2025

Tumor necrosis factor promotes doublecortin-like kinase 1 expression and cellular reprogramming in intestinal epithelial cells leading to neoplastic transformation.

Lin Huang, Tianqi Li, Xu Huang, Xiaoxi Chen, Yuanyuan Ju, Lili Xu, Chunhua Ma, Yumei Tao, Yonghong Yang, Xiaoyun Bian and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell communication and signaling : CCS, 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
–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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. 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

12 authors.

Lin HuangDepartment of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226018, Jiangsu, China.
Tianqi LiNantong Institute of Genetics and Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226018, Jiangsu, China.
Xu HuangNantong Institute of Genetics and Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226018, Jiangsu, China.
Xiaoxi ChenDepartment of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226018, Jiangsu, China.
Yuanyuan JuNantong Institute of Genetics and Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226018, Jiangsu, China.
Lili XuNantong Institute of Genetics and Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226018, Jiangsu, China.
Chunhua MaNantong Institute of Genetics and Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226018, Jiangsu, China.
Yumei TaoDepartment of Pathology, Affiliated Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226018, Jiangsu, China.
Yonghong YangDepartment of Nephrology, Rheumatology, and Immunology, Nantong Children's Hospital, Nantong, 226018, Jiangsu, China.
Xiaoyun BianDepartment of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226018, Jiangsu, China.
Mark M HuyckeDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.
Xingmin WangNantong Institute of Genetics and Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226018, Jiangsu, China. xingmin-wang@ntu.edu.cn.

Funding

Jiangsu Distinguished Medical Expert Program 2019Jiangsu Health Innovation Team Program 2020Nantong Commission of Health MS2022072Nantong Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital YYR202001National Natural Science Foundation of China 81972783Seed grant of Jiangsu Health Innovation Team Program CX2023002
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a critical mediator in chronic inflammation and colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. However, whether and how prolonged TNF exposure triggers CRC is not fully understood.

methodsTNF-induced expression of Dclk1, a cancer stem cell (CSC) marker, was assessed in IEC-6 intestinal epithelial cells, murine models, and colon organoids. TNF-induced reprogramming of intestinal epithelial cells was investigated through single-cell RNA sequencing and cellular transformation assayed by xenograft tumor model.

resultsWe observed a significant increase in Dclk1 in the intestines of TNF-transgenic mice and TNF-treated IEC-6 cells. Notably, DCLK1 expression correlated positively with inflammation, TNF levels, and TNFRSF1a in human subjects. Silencing of Tnfrsf1a markedly reduced Dclk1 expression, underscoring the role of TNF-Tnfrsf1a axis in the regulation of Dclk1 expression. Furthermore, Dclk1-positive cells were significantly elevated in the intestines of TNF-treated wild-type mice, but not in Tnfrsf1a−/− mice, compared to controls. Inhibition of NFκB and c-Myc also led to a marked reduction in Dclk1 expression. Intriguingly, colonic organoids derived from TNF-transgenic mice exhibited increased numbers and sizes, whereas those from Tnfrsf1a−/− mice showed the opposite trend. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that prolonged TNF exposure induced CSC emergence through the reprogramming of Dclk1-positive tuft cells and activation of CRC-related pathways. Critically, prolonged TNF treatment resulted in neoplastic transformation of intestinal epithelial cells, leading to xenograft tumor formation in immunodeficient mice.

conclusionsThese findings provide novel insights into how chronic inflammation drives the genesis of intestinal CSCs and fosters CRC development, highlighting potential therapeutic targets for combating colitis-associated colorectal cancer.

Indexed as

Cell Transformation, NeoplasticCellular ReprogrammingEpithelial CellsIntestinal MucosaIntracellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsProtein Serine-Threonine KinasesTumor Necrosis Factor-alphaAnimalsDoublecortin-Like KinasesHumansIntestinesMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, TransgenicReceptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type IDCLK1 protein, humanDclk1 protein, mouseDoublecortin-Like KinasesIntracellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsProtein Serine-Threonine KinasesReceptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type ITumor Necrosis Factor-alphaColorectal cancer stem cellsDoublecortin-like kinase 1EMTOrganoidReprogrammingTNF-humanized mice

Identifiers

PMID41039610
PMCPMC12492607

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.