Wang SY, Wang KJ. Reevaluating Calculus bovis: Modulating the liver cancer immune microenvironment via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. World J Gastroenterol 2025; 31(6): 99750 [PMID: PMC11752708 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i6.99750]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Kai-Juan Wang, Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China. kjwang@163.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Letter to the Editor
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 14, 2025; 31(6): 99750 Published online Feb 14, 2025. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i6.99750
Reevaluating Calculus bovis: Modulating the liver cancer immune microenvironment via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway
Shi-Yue Wang, Kai-Juan Wang
Shi-Yue Wang, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
Kai-Juan Wang, Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
Kai-Juan Wang, Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Epidemiology and State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
Author contributions: Wang SY and Wang KJ contributed to this paper equally; Wang SY designed the overall concept and outline of the manuscript, and contributed to the writing and editing of the manuscript, illustrations, and review of the literature; Wang KJ contributed to the discussion and design of the manuscript and illustrations, was responsible for quality control, and revised the paper.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Kai-Juan Wang, Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China. kjwang@163.com
Received: July 29, 2024 Revised: November 5, 2024 Accepted: December 10, 2024 Published online: February 14, 2025 Processing time: 164 Days and 20.9 Hours
Abstract
In this article, we comment on the work published by Huang et al, which explores the mechanisms by which Calculus bovis (CB) modulates the liver cancer immune microenvironment via the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. The study demonstrates that active components in CB effectively inhibit the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, significantly reducing the polarization of M2 tumor-associated macrophages. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments have validated the anti-tumour effects of CB, revealing its complex mechanisms of action through the modulation of immune cell functions within the tumour microenvironment. This article highlights CB’s therapeutic potential in liver cancer treatment and calls for further investigations into its mechanisms and clinical applications to develop safer, more effective options for patients. The study also revealed that key components of CB, such as bilirubin and bile acids, inhibit tumour cell proliferation and promote apoptosis through multiple pathways. Future research should explore the mechanisms of action of CB and its potential integration with existing treatments to improve the therapeutic outcomes of liver cancer patients. With multidisciplinary collaboration and advanced research, CB could become a key component of comprehensive liver cancer treatment, offering new hope for patients.
Core Tip: This study highlights the role of Calculus bovis (CB) in regulating the liver cancer immune microenvironment through the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. Active components in CB inhibit Wnt/β-catenin activation, reduce M2 tumour-associated macrophage polarization, and enhance anti-tumour immunity, suppressing liver cancer growth and spread. Multilevel experiments confirm CB’s potential as an anti-tumour agent, offering a foundation for new liver cancer treatments based on traditional Chinese medicine. Future research should explore CB’s effects across liver cancer subtypes and in combination with modern therapies to improve treatment efficacy and safety.
