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World J Gastrointest Oncol. Mar 15, 2026; 18(3): 115028
Published online Mar 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v18.i3.115028
Published online Mar 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v18.i3.115028
Goosecoid drives colorectal cancer progression by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition
Bai-Chao Li, Bing-Zhe Wang, Liang Han, School of Clinical Medicine, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056002, Hebei Province, China
Zhi-Wei Zhang, Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056002, Hebei Province, China
Ying Wang, Department of Geriatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056002, Hebei Province, China
Yong-Jian Zhang, Jiu-Na Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056002, Hebei Province, China
Co-first authors: Bai-Chao Li and Bing-Zhe Wang.
Author contributions: Li BC and Wang BZ collected the data and wrote the manuscript as co-first authors; Han L and Zhang ZW participated in the discussion; Wang Y and Zhang YJ arranged the experimental data; Zhang JN reviewed the manuscript and provided funding support; all authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported by Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (General Program), No. H2022402009; Precision Medicine Joint Cultivation Fund Project of Hebei Natural Science Foundation, No. H2021402007; Hebei Provincial Department of Finance, No. ZF2023221; and Cooperative Project of the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Engineering, No. KFKT2024-05.
Institutional review board statement: The study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Engineering, No. 2021[K]112.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no conflict of interest in publishing the manuscript.
Data sharing statement: There is no conflict of interest in this study.
Corresponding author: Jiu-Na Zhang, PhD, Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Engineering, No. 81 Congtai Road, Handan 056002, Hebei Province, China. zhangjiuna@hebeu.edu.cn
Received: October 11, 2025
Revised: November 24, 2025
Accepted: January 14, 2026
Published online: March 15, 2026
Processing time: 157 Days and 17 Hours
Revised: November 24, 2025
Accepted: January 14, 2026
Published online: March 15, 2026
Processing time: 157 Days and 17 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Goosecoid (GSC) is significantly upregulated in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and cell lines, with its elevated expression correlated with unfavorable patient outcomes. Functional analyses demonstrate that GSC knockdown attenuates CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Mechanistically, these inhibitory effects are mediated through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, concomitant with the regulation of key epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers. Collectively, our findings establish GSC as a critical promoter of CRC growth and metastatic dissemination.