Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41782869›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in immunology2026

Mass spectrometry-based multi-omics analysis elucidates immune microenvironmental characteristics and the risk of distant metastasis in N1c colorectal cancer.

Baiwang Zhu, Chenxiao Zheng, Hangjia Xu, Yating Zheng, Yunfei Liu, Peng Li, Haobo Jin, Binbin Ou, Yanyu Chen, Zihan Wang and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in immunology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

13 authors.

Baiwang Zhu *Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Chenxiao Zheng *Department of Colorectal Anal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Hangjia XuDepartment of Colorectal Anal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Yating ZhengDepartment of Colorectal Anal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Yunfei LiuDepartment of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery II, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Peng LiDepartment of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Haobo JinLaboratory Animal Centre, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Binbin OuGeneral Practice Department, Hangzhou Gongshu Hospital of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Yanyu ChenClinical Medical College, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Zihan WangDepartment of Colorectal Anal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Qiongying Zhang *Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Xiaodong Zhang *Department of Colorectal Anal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Yifei Pan *Department of Colorectal Anal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks third in global cancer incidence and second in mortality. Tumor deposit (TD), a specific regional spread form, is a crucial independent risk factor for survival and have biological differences from lymph node metastasis (LNM). However, it is underestimated in current staging systems, which results in biased treatment decisions and prognosis evaluation. Moreover, the biological features and distant metastasis patterns of N1c CRC remain largely unknown. Method: We performed Data-independent Acquisition Mass Spectrometry (DIA-MS) analysis of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples from 13 T1-T4N1cM1 CRC patients to reveal their molecular characteristics. 9 machine learning algorithms identified 10 TD-related metastasis genes (TDRGs), the multi-cohort validation in 1,582 CRC patients confirmed their role in prognosis. Immune landscape and immunotherapy response were assessed by the CIBERSORT, tumor mutation burden (TMB), Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) score, Consensus molecular subtype (CMS), immune checkpoint gene expression. scRNA-seq analysis identified Procollagen-Lysine,2-Oxoglutarate 5-Dioxygenase 1 (PLOD1) expression in CRC, Immunohistochemical staining (IHC) and Masson's trichrome staining were used to assess PLOD1 expression and collagen fiber content in CRC, its role in tumor invasion and migration was elucidated by wound healing and transwell assays. Results: N1c samples exhibit enhanced extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). The TDRGs identified by machine learning robustly predicting disease-free survival (DFS) across multiple cohorts (Mean C-index = 0.72) and immune activity. A higher risk score predicted early metastasis and poorer response to immunotherapy, marked by lower level of immune infiltration, higher TIDE scores, lower TMB, and downregulated immune checkpoint genes. scRNA-seq analysis pinpoints highest PLOD1 expression in fibroblasts. Histological analysis of N1c samples demonstrated PLOD1 expression patterns and their significant correlation with stromal collagen fiber abundance (p < 0.01). Wound healing and transwell assays indicating the knockdown of PLOD1 hinders the migration and invasion of CRC DLD-1 cell. Conclusion: We assessed the protein expression profiles and pathway characteristics of N1c CRC. The model developed based on TDRGs, effectively predicted DFS and immunotherapy response, supporting precision treatment and staging system optimization. PLOD1's role in ECM remodeling and CRC cell migration and invasion suggests its potential as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target.

Indexed as

Colorectal NeoplasmsTumor MicroenvironmentBiomarkers, TumorFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMaleMass SpectrometryMultiomicsNeoplasm MetastasisNeoplasm StagingPrognosisBiomarkers, Tumorcolorectal cancerimmunotherapy responsemetastasisPLOD1tumor deposit

Identifiers

PMID41782869
PMCPMC12953441

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.