Proteomic profiling identifies a stromal TGF-β1/podoplanin axis as a driver of colorectal cancer progression.

ABSTRACT: The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a pivotal role in the development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), yet the complex crosstalk among its components remains incompletely understood. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) have emerged as key regulators of CRC progression, but their specific contributions, particularly given their heterogeneity, are not fully elucidated. This study identifies podoplanin (PDPN), a transmembrane glycoprotein enriched in CAFs, as highly expressed in the CRC TME, in particular surrounding the tumor, and associated with macrophage infiltration and cancer progression. We performed mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis on matched CRC and adjacent normal tissues from patients to identify altered signaling pat

SUBMITTER: Di Agostino S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12372361 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature