Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41408063›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Agonist signaling drives neutrophil subpopulations to promote/inhibit colorectal cancer liver metastasis.

Zhuoqing Xu, Haoran Feng, Wenqing Feng, Yuchen Zhang, Jianting Huo, Zifeng Xu, Fangqian Chen, Han Gao, Zeping Lv, Wangyi Liu and 8 more

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 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing 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

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Frontiers in microbiology · 2026
    Review
  7. 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

18 authors.

Zhuoqing Xu *Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3062-3183
Haoran Feng *Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-0239-9137
Wenqing Feng *Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9683-3490
Yuchen Zhang *Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0033-5084
Jianting HuoDepartment of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1826-902X
Zifeng XuDepartment of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3152-4582
Fangqian ChenDepartment of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5045-6864
Han GaoDepartment of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5878-4029
Zeping LvDepartment of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4952-9119
Wangyi LiuDepartment of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5423-6711
Abudumaimaitijiang TuersunDepartment of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-1792-4859
Suyue YuDepartment of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9906-7229
Wenchang LiShanghai Institute of Digestive Surgery, Shanghai, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0995-0251
Yaping ZongDepartment of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3253-3891
Xiaohui ShenDepartment of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China. xhshendoc@yeah.net.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-9436-451X
Xi ChengDepartment of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China. drchengxi@126.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0009-8189
Jingkun ZhaoDepartment of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China. zhaojk8891@126.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4096-3373
Aiguo LuDepartment of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China. luaiguo1965@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4028-0644

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 81802326National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 81871933National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82003169National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82403528
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Liver metastasis is a primary cause of death in colorectal cancer, yet the role of immune cells called neutrophils in this process remains complex. In this study, we identify three distinct neutrophil subtypes: anti-tumor high-density neutrophils, pro-tumor mature low-density neutrophils, and immature low-density neutrophils. Here we show that tumor-derived GM-CSF converts anti-tumor neutrophils into a pro-tumor state via the AKT-NF-κB-NFAT5 signaling axis. These activated neutrophils, when further stimulated by CXCR2 ligands, release web-like structures known as neutrophil extracellular traps which promote cancer spread by enhancing cancer cell growth, suppressing immune responses, and preparing the liver for metastasis. Importantly, we demonstrate that using antibodies depleting neutrophils or drugs inhibiting their pro-tumor activity effectively reduces liver metastasis in mice. Our work defines specific neutrophil subsets as key drivers of cancer progression and highlights their therapeutic potential in preventing metastatic spread.

Indexed as

Colorectal NeoplasmsLiver NeoplasmsNeutrophilsAnimalsCell Line, TumorExtracellular TrapsFemaleGranulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating FactorHumansMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLNF-kappa BProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktReceptors, Interleukin-8BSignal TransductionGranulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating FactorNF-kappa BProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktReceptors, Interleukin-8B

Identifiers

PMID41408063
PMCPMC12827479

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.