The dysadherin/carbonic anhydrase 9 axis shapes an acidic tumor microenvironment to promote colorectal cancer progression.

ABSTRACT: The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a central role in cancer progression and metastasis. A key feature of the TME is extracellular acidity, which promotes disease progression, immune evasion, and drug resistance. Tumor acidity is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in cancer development and a negative prognostic indicator. Here, we demonstrate that the membrane glycoprotein dysadherin promotes colorectal cancer (CRC) malignancy by modulating TME acidity. Comprehensive bioinformatics and pathological analyses of CRC patient samples revealed that increased tumor acidity is a hallmark of CRC progression and strongly correlates with high expression of dysadherin. Functional studies confirmed that dysadherin enhances malignant traits, particularly under acidic conditions. Mechanisti

SUBMITTER: Lee CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12804794 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature