ArticleCancer & metabolism2025
The integration of single-cell and metabolomics reveals the increase of oxidative phosphorylation during the liver metastasis of colorectal cancer.
Article in Cancer & metabolism, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- TGF‑β1 in cancer: From tumour suppressor to promoter, molecular mechanisms, and precision therapeutic strategies (Review).International journal of oncology · 2026Review
- Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis-Associated Ferroptosis-Related Genes Modulate Lipid Peroxidation in Colorectal Cancer Cells.Molecular carcinogenesis · 2026Article
- Spatially Resolved Metabolomic Profiling Reveals Progression-Associated Metabolic Reprogramming in Colorectal Liver Metastasis.Metabolites · 2026Article
- Prognostic value of neuro-related genes in colorectal cancer and their potential implications for immunotherapy.Journal of Cancer · 2026Article
- Targeting the epigenome and tumor heterogeneity: advances in immunotherapy for chemoresistant metastatic colorectal cancer.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundColorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most prevalent malignant tumors, with liver metastasis as the leading cause of mortality. Although metabolic reprogramming is known to play a crucial role in tumor metastasis, our understanding of this process during colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM) remains limited.
methodsA stepwise mouse model of CRC liver metastasis was developed, and metabolomic profiling was performed to verify model stability and identify metabolic changes. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was used to assess oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) activity within the metastatic tumor microenvironment (TME). Additionally, spatial transcriptomics (ST) was conducted to elucidate the spatial distribution of metabolic phenotypes within metastatic sites. Finally, in vivo experiments were conducted by administering TGFβ inhibitor (LY2157299) or OXPHOS inhibitor (IACS-010759) to evaluate the potential for liver metastasis, and in vitro, the functions of HCT116 and SW620 cells were assessed through Transwell assays and oxygen consumption rate (OCR) measurements.
resultsMetabolomic profiling revealed heightened tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity in liver metastases. ScRNA-seq analysis showed increased OXPHOS in metastatic cells, including a highly malignant cell subtype characterized by augmented OXPHOS. Further analysis identified a significant upregulation of OXPHOS associated with TGFβ pathway activation. ST localized this OXPHOS -enriched subtype within metastatic tissue. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrate that inhibition of TGFβ signaling reduces OXPHOS activity, thereby attenuating the progression of colorectal cancer liver metastasis.
conclusionsThis study identifies OXPHOS upregulation as a key metabolic alteration during CRC liver metastasis, which could be induced by TGFβ signaling pathway. These findings contribute to a refined understanding of CRC metabolic adaptation in liver metastases and may inform therapeutic strategies targeting OXPHOS in advanced CRC.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.