Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41483803›Full record

ArticleCell reports. Medicine2026

Cathepsin-D-mediated MHC class I degradation contributes to immune evasion in colorectal cancer.

Weixiang Zhan, Yang Fu, Yina Liu, Runkai Cai, Fan Bai, Chenxu Guo, Yi Cheng, Zehua Wu, Ge Qin, Yuqian Xie and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell reports. Medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Weixiang ZhanDepartment of Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, Guangdong Research Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China.
Yang FuDepartment of Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, Guangdong Research Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China.
Yina LiuState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510062, China.
Runkai CaiDepartment of Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, Guangdong Research Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China.
Fan BaiDepartment of Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, Guangdong Research Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China.
Chenxu GuoDepartment of Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, Guangdong Research Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China.
Yi ChengDepartment of Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, Guangdong Research Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China.
Zehua WuDepartment of Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, Guangdong Research Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China.
Ge QinDepartment of Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, Guangdong Research Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China.
Yuqian XieDepartment of Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, Guangdong Research Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China.
Jianwei ZhangDepartment of Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, Guangdong Research Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China. Electronic address: zhangjw25@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Yanhong DengDepartment of Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510062, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, Guangdong Research Institute of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Biomedical Innovation Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China. Electronic address: dengyanh@mail.sysu.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer (CRC) is often considered a "cold" tumor with limited response to programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibody monotherapy. The mechanisms underlying its intrinsic resistance to immunotherapy remain unclear. Here, we show that cathepsin D (CTSD) is highly expressed in MSS CRC and contributes significantly to immunotherapy resistance. Mechanistically, CTSD, acting as a protease, interacts with the α2 domain of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I via the light chain of its catalytic domain, promoting MHC class I degradation through lysosomal pathways and impairing its recycling to the cell surface. This mechanism shields tumor cells from cytotoxic T-cell-mediated killing and facilitates immune evasion. Notably, genetic deletion or pharmacological inhibition of CTSD using pepstatin A prevents immune escape and enhances anti-PD-1 efficacy. These findings identify CTSD as a key mediator of immune evasion in MSS CRC and support the development of a combination therapy comprising CTSD inhibition and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.

Indexed as

Cathepsin DColorectal NeoplasmsHistocompatibility Antigens Class IImmune EvasionTumor EscapeAnimalsCell Line, TumorHumansImmunotherapyMiceProgrammed Cell Death 1 ReceptorProteolysisT-Lymphocytes, CytotoxicCathepsin DCTSD protein, humanHistocompatibility Antigens Class IProgrammed Cell Death 1 ReceptorCTSDimmunotherapyMHC class Imicrosatellite stable colorectal cancer

Identifiers

PMID41483803
PMCPMC12866090

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.