LOXL2⁺ cancer-associated fibroblasts shape WNT signaling to drive chemoresistance and poor outcomes in colorectal cancer: Insights from multi-omics and epidemiological analyses.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) critically influence colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and therapy response, yet their epidemiological and molecular heterogeneity remains underexplored.

Methods

We integrated bulk, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomic datasets from multiple CRC cohorts, together with patient-derived tissues and functional assays, to delineate CAF subtypes and their clinical significance. Epidemiological analyses were performed across independent cohorts to evaluate the association between CAF markers and patient outcomes.

Results

A myofibroblastic CAF (myCAF) subset characterized by high LOXL2 expression was consistently enriched in advanced and chemoresistant CRC samples. Multi-omics correlation analyses revealed that LOXL2⁺ CAFs

SUBMITTER: Xu C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12808516 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature