Evidence mapPaperPMID 41511313Full record

ArticleCells2025

Integrin-Mediated TIMP1 Signaling Reprograms Liver Macrophages and Accelerates Colorectal Cancer Metastasis.

Jialiang Liu, Liming Zhao, Lin Wang, Guoli Sheng, Pu Cheng, Mingyu Han, Guoxin Li, Zhaoxu Zheng

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cells, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. 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

8 authors.

Jialiang LiuDepartment of Colorectal Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100020, China.
Liming ZhaoDepartment of Colorectal Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100020, China.
Lin WangThe State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100020, China.
Guoli ShengDepartment of Urology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100020, China.
Pu ChengDepartment of Colorectal Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100020, China.
Mingyu HanDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100020, China.
Guoxin LiCancer Center, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 102218, China.
Zhaoxu ZhengDepartment of Colorectal Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100020, China.

Funding

by the Beijing Medical Award Foundation YXJL-2023-0670-0150the Beijing Science and Technology Medical Development Foundation KC2024-JX-0189
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundColorectal cancer (CRC) frequently metastasizes to the liver (CRLM), where M2-polarized macrophages shape an immunosuppressive pre-metastatic niche. The molecular cues driving this polarization remain unclear. METHODS AND

resultsUsing integrated transcriptomics, patient cohorts, and mouse models, we investigated the role of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP1) in CRLM. TIMP1 was consistently overexpressed in CRC tissues and associated with poor overall survival. CRC cells secreted TIMP1 into the tumor microenvironment, where it induced M2-like macrophage polarization and increased the expression of immunosuppressive mediators such as CSF1 and IRF4. In vivo, TIMP1 overexpression enhanced, whereas its knockdown reduced, liver metastatic burden. Immune profiling and depletion experiments indicated that these pro-metastatic effects were largely macrophage-dependent. Mechanistically, TIMP1 engaged CD63/β1-integrin on macrophages, activating AKT/mTOR signaling and stabilizing the M2 phenotype.

conclusionsCRC-derived TIMP1 remodels liver macrophages via the CD63/β1-integrin-AKT/mTOR pathway to promote a hepatic pre-metastatic niche. Pharmacologic inhibition of this signaling axis with the integrin antagonist cilengitide suppressed macrophage M2 markers and liver colonization in mice, supporting TIMP1-integrin signaling as a potential therapeutic target.

Indexed as

Colorectal NeoplasmsIntegrinsLiverLiver NeoplasmsMacrophagesSignal TransductionTissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1AnimalsCell Line, TumorFemaleHumansMiceNeoplasm MetastasisTumor MicroenvironmentIntegrinsTIMP1 protein, humanTissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1colorectal cancerliver metastasisM2 macrophage polarizationpre-metastatic nicheTIMP1

Identifiers

PMID41511313
PMCPMC12785128

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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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.