<i>TGF-βI/FERMT2</i>/<i>COL6A1</i> Reciprocal Loop Drives Tumor-Stroma Crosstalk and Promotes Peritoneal Metastasis in Gastric Cancer.

ABSTRACT: Background: Peritoneal metastasis (PM) is a frequent and fatal progression in advanced gastric cancer (GC), shaped by intricate interactions between tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment. Among these, gastric cancer-associated fibroblasts (GCAFs) are key mediators of tumor progression, yet the molecular regulators underlying tumor-stroma crosstalk remain poorly defined. Methods: We combined bulk and single-cell transcriptomics, functional assays, proteomics, and in vivo models to dissect the role of FERMT2 in modulating GC-GCAF interactions and its contribution to peritoneal dissemination. Results: FERMT2 is highly expressed in CAFs and positively correlates with both CAF infiltration and activation in GC. Functionally, FERMT2 maintains the my

SUBMITTER: He C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12509910 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature