ArticleJournal of translational medicine2025
Genome-wide association, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomics analyses reveal the role of the STK24-expressing positive cells in LUAD progression and the tumor microenvironment, identifying STK24 as a potential therapeutic target.
Article in Journal of translational medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 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
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- STC1 is associated with tumor progression and suppressive niches in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.Translational cancer research · 2026Article
- Single-Cell and Spatial Omics: Methods and Applications.MedComm · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundLung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), a subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), has high incidence and poor prognosis. Although anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) therapy and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors benefit some patients, many remain unresponsive. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) can identify risk loci, while single-cell transcriptomics enables exploration of genetic variations and mechanisms in LUAD.
methodsWe integrated GWAS data from FinnGen, IEU OpenGWAS, and GWAS Catalog with single-cell and spatial transcriptomics from GEO to investigate LUAD genetics and pathology. GWAS analyses identified SNP loci, risk factors, LD Score, and SMR results, revealing a novel apoptosis-related locus, Serine/Threonine Kinase 24 (STK24) (SMR P < 0.05). Single-cell analysis identified STK24-positive epithelial cells (STK24posEpi) and their transcription factors (SCENIC), developmental trajectory (Monocle), and tumor microenvironment roles (CellCall). Spatial mapping (RCTD) and trajectory analysis (stlearn) were combined with cell communication (CellChat), spatial signal flow (Commot), and co-localization (Misty). Bayesian deconvolution linked STK24posEpi to TCGA-LUAD bulk transcriptomes, assessing overall survival (OS), immune infiltration, and clinical traits. A prognostic model (STK24SuperPC, mean c-index 0.61) was built using multiple machine learning algorithms to predict survival and immunotherapy response. Laboratory experiments tested STK24's effects on LUAD cell proliferation and apoptosis.
resultsSTK24 was identified as a LUAD risk factor (pSMR < 0.05). STK24posEpi communicated with fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and others via MIF and PDGF pathways, and was associated with apoptosis (Importance > 0.5), metastasis (Importance > 2), DNA repair (Importance > 1), and DNA damage (Importance > 2). Located at the origin of the trajectory, STK24posEpi correlated with poor prognosis (HR > 0, P < 0.05) and reduced lymphocyte infiltration (Pearson's r < 0, P < 0.05). STK24 overexpression enhanced LUAD cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation, while reducing apoptosis, increasing BCL-2 and Caspase-3, and decreasing Cleaved-Caspase-3 expression.
conclusionsSTK24, an apoptosis-related gene, promotes LUAD progression by enhancing proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis, with STK24posEpi interacting in the tumor microenvironment through PDGF and MIF pathways. These findings offer potential therapeutic targets and support personalized LUAD treatment strategies.
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.