Cross-talk between Schwann Cells and CD4+ T Cells Promotes Perineural Invasion in Colorectal Cancer.

Schwann cells and CD4+ T cells interact to promote perineural invasion in colorectal cancer through MAPK and JAK-STAT pathway activation.

• Why it matters: Perineural invasion is linked to poor prognosis in colorectal cancer, and understanding its mechanisms could lead to new therapeutic strategies to inhibit tumor progression.
• What they did: The study used single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and immunohistochemistry to identify a HSPA6+CD4+ T cell subset in CRC PNI tissues and examined their interaction with Schwann cells, including pathway activation and recruitment mechanisms.
• The result: Findings show Schwann cells promote T cell differentiation and migration, with inhibition of MAPK and JAK-STAT pathways reducing nerve invasion; infliximab and anti-PD-1 treatments suppress tumor-promoting effects, suggesting potential therapeutic targets.