Distal Colonocyte Identity
Gene co-expression module in Intestinal stem cells and transit amplifying cells
| Category | absorptive cell development |
|---|---|
| Genes | 0 |
| Annotation certainty | 4 of 5 |
| Annotation consistency | 8 of 11 genes have a known function matching the annotation |
Why this annotation
HOXB13 is a posterior HOX transcription factor highly expressed in the rectum and prostate, a known marker of distal colon/rectal epithelium. PRAC1 (prostate and colon expressed 1) is specifically expressed in the rectum and prostate. LGALS2 (galectin-2) is expressed in colonocytes and modulates mucosal immunity. CLDN8 is a tight junction claudin enriched in the distal colon. WFDC2 (HE4) is expressed in distal colon epithelium. B3GNT7 is a glycosyltransferase involved in mucin glycosylation. RARRES2 (chemerin) is expressed by colonocytes. SPON1 is an extracellular matrix protein. The module is dramatically downregulated in CD inflammation (delta = -1.095) and recovers in remission (delta = +0.672), consistent with loss of distal colonocyte identity in active CD. This is a rectum/distal colon differentiation signature.
Genes
Module annotations were drafted by a large language model from the module's genes, then reviewed and approved by a domain expert. See sources & licences.