WNT5a in Colorectal Cancer: Research Progress and Challenges

Integrating single-cell and spatial analysis reveals MUC1-mediated cellular crosstalk in mucinous colorectal adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Mucinous colorectal adenocarcinoma (MCA) is a distinct subtype of colorectal cancer (CRC) with the most aggressive pattern, but effective treatment of MCA remains a challenge due to its vague pathological characteristics. An in-depth understanding of transcriptional dynamics at the cellular level is critical for developing specialised MCA treatment strategies.

METHODS

We integrated single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics data to systematically profile the MCA tumor microenvironment (TME), particularly the interactome of stromal and immune cells. In addition, a three-dimensional bioprinting technique, canonical ex vivo co-culture system, and immunofluorescence staining were further applied to validate the cellular communication networks within the TME.

RESULTS

This study identified the crucial intercellular interactions that engaged in MCA pathogenesis. We found the increased infiltration of FGF7+/THBS1+ myofibroblasts in MCA tissues with decreased expression of genes associated with leukocyte-mediated immunity and T cell activation, suggesting a crucial role of these cells in regulating the immunosuppressive TME. In addition, MS4A4A+ macrophages that exhibit M2-phenotype were enriched in the tumoral niche and high expression of MS4A4A+ was associated with poor prognosis in the cohort data. The ligand-receptor-based intercellular communication analysis revealed the tight interaction of MUC1+ malignant cells and ZEB1+ endothelial cells, providing mechanistic information for MCA angiogenesis and molecular targets for subsequent translational applications.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides novel insights into communications among tumour cells with stromal and immune cells that are significantly enriched in the TME during MCA progression, presenting potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for MCA.

KEY POINTS

Tumour microenvironment profiling of MCA is developed. MUC1+ tumour cells interplay with FGF7+/THBS1+ myofibroblasts to promote MCA development. MS4A4A+ macrophages exhibit M2 phenotype in MCA. ZEB1+ endotheliocytes engage in EndMT process in MCA.

Aberrant expression of UBE2C in endometrial cancer and its correlation to epithelial mesenchymal transition

Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2C (UBE2C), its overexpression promotes tumor progression, is a key component of the ubiquitin conjugating proteasome complex. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which is lost epithelial features and gained mesenchymal features in some epithelial cancers, is involved in epithelial cancers' invasiveness and metastasis. The aim of this study is to detect the expression of UBE2C, WNT5α, and E-cad in endometrial cancer (EC) and their clinical significance. The expression of UBE2C, WNT5α, and ZEB1 in 125 cases EC tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. Patients clinicopathological, demography, and follow-up data were also collected. Positive rates of expression of UBE2C and ZEB1 were significantly higher in EC tissues when compared with the control tissues. The positive expression of UBE2C and ZEB1 were positively associated with tumor stages, local lymph node metastasis, and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages. The positive rate of expression of WNT5a was significantly lower in EC tissues when compared with the control tissues. And positive expression of E-cad was inversely related to tumor stages, lymph node metastasis stages, and FIGO stages. Kaplan-Meier analyses demonstrated that positive expression of UBE2C or ZEB1 for EC patients had unfavorably overall survival time when compared with patients with negative expression of UBE2C or ZEB1. And EC patients with positive expression of WNT5a had favorably overall survival time when compared with EC patients with negative expression of WNT5a. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that positive expression UBE2C, WNT5α, and ZEB1, as well as FIGO stages were independent prognostic factors for EC patients. UBE2C, ZEB1, and WNT5a should be considered promising biomarkers for EC patients' prognosis.

Wnt5a regulates autophagy in Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-Infected pulmonary epithelial cells

Autophagy functions as a critical process that can suppress the proliferation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) within infected host cells. Wnt5a is a secreted protein that plays a range of physiological functions, activating several signaling pathways and thereby controlling cellular responses to particular stimuli. The importance of Wnt5a as a regulator of protection against Mtb infection, however, has yet to be fully characterized. Here, changes in murine pulmonary epithelial-like TC-1 cell morphology, autophagy, the Wnt/Ca²⁺ signaling pathway, and the mTOR autophagy pathway were analyzed following infection with the Mtb model pathogen Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) in order to understand the regulatory role of Wnt5a in this context. These experiments revealed that Wnt5a was upregulated and autophagy was enhanced in TC-1 cells infected with BCG, and Wnt5a overexpression was found to drive BCG-induced autophagy in these cells upon infection, whereas the inhibition or knockdown of Wnt5a yielded the opposite effect. At the mechanistic level, Wnt5a was found to mediate non-canonical Wnt/Ca²⁺ signaling and thereby inhibit mTOR-dependent pathway activation, promoting autophagic induction within BCG-infected TC-1 cells. These data offer new insight regarding how Wnt5a influences Mtb-induced autophagy within pulmonary epithelial cells, providing a foundation for further research exploring the immunological control of this infection through the modulation of autophagy.