Publication in EMBO Mol Med

Colorectal cancer is among the most common and deadly cancers, yet its progression remains difficult to reproduce in murine models, limiting the identification of new therapeutic targets.

To better understand the role of mitochondrial metabolism in these cancers, Alain Chariot’s team (WELRI–ULiège) inactivated the gene encoding Stard7 in mice carrying a mutation that activates the Wnt pathway, which is present in over 80% of human intestinal cancers. These mice develop tumours in the distal colon and a gut microbiota resembling that observed in patients. The findings show that Stard7 restrains tumour development driven by constitutive activation of the Wnt pathway, while conversely promoting tumour growth in the context of chronic inflammation.

This study highlights the importance of the mutational context of intestinal tumours in understanding the role of proteins of interest and provides a relevant murine model for studying colorectal cancer. It is the result of a collaboration between Alain Chariot, Pierre Close (WELRI–ULiège) and Patrice Cani (WELRI–UCLouvain).

Reference : Shostak et al, The lipid transfer protein STARD7 controls intestinal tumor development in a context-dependent manner, EMBO Mol Med (2026)