{
  "abstract": "Epithelial-derived intelectin-1 (ITLN1) is frequently downregulated in colorectal cancer, but whether it actively shapes anti-tumor immunity remains unclear. We integrate multiplex immunohistochemistry, spatial analysis, single-cell transcriptomics, chromatin-accessibility profiling, and perturbation models to define how ITLN1 regulates neutrophil maturation and spatial anti-tumor immunity. In treatment-naïve human colorectal cancer, higher ITLN1 expression associates with greater neutrophil infiltration, shorter distances between mature S100A9 ⁺ CXCR2 ⁺ neutrophils and ITLN1 ⁺ tumor epithelial cells, and improved survival. In mouse colorectal cancer models, Itln1 silencing accelerates tumor growth and metastasis, impairs CXCR2 ⁺ CD101 ⁺ mature neutrophil generation and tumor recruitment, and promotes LTF ⁺ S100A9 ⁺ immature neutrophil accumulation in hypoxic regions. Mechanistically, ITLN1 activates a JAK1/STAT3-associated C/EBPδ program that drives terminal granulopoiesis and CXCR2-dependent tumor homing, while recombinant ITLN1 restores neutrophil maturation and tumor-killing activity. Here, we reveal a cross-tissue ITLN1–STAT3/C/EBPδ–CXCR2 axis that links epithelial ITLN1 to bone marrow granulopoiesis, coordinating distal neutrophil maturation, mobilization and spatial organization in colorectal cancer.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 15,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Li Chen",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8375-0493"
    },
    {
      "name": "Xiangwei Zhai",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2967-5573"
    },
    {
      "name": "Shaoxiang Chen"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jie Luo"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jing Sun"
    },
    {
      "name": "Guibing Qiao"
    },
    {
      "name": "Chen Yang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yan Zhang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Xiaoying Lou"
    },
    {
      "name": "Meng Kou"
    },
    {
      "name": "Liyan Guo"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ziyue Li"
    },
    {
      "name": "Dan Xie",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2242-3138"
    },
    {
      "name": "Zheng Hu",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1552-0060"
    },
    {
      "name": "Qizhou Lian"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5a10dtg57pjxn.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1038/s41467-026-78599-2",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "5a10dtg57pjxn",
  "issns": [
    "2041-1723"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78599-2",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2403|Immune cells in cancer"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222671581",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78599-2_reference.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-16",
  "publisher": "Springer Science and Business Media LLC",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5a10dtg57pjxn.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:38Z",
      "native_id": "10.1038/s41467-026-78599-2",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78599-2"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2403|Immune cells in cancer",
      "subfield": "immunology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "ITLN1 suppresses colorectal cancer progression by orchestrating neutrophil maturation and spatial organization",
  "title_text": "ITLN1 suppresses colorectal cancer progression by orchestrating neutrophil maturation and spatial organization",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:38Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5a10dtg57pjxn",
  "venue": "Nature Communications",
  "versions": []
}