Abstract
Leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 31 (LRRC31) has been recently discovered as a novel tumor-suppressive gene that can delay cancer progression. However, there are no studies have reported its role in colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, through a series of analyses, we have found that the expression of LRRC31 is significantly downregulated in CRC, and its expression is correlated to tumor T stage, Braf mutation, microsatellite status and clinical prognosis of CRC patients. In addition, we also found that LRRC31 has a close relationship with the tumor microenvironment of CRC tissues as well as the immunotherapy responses of cancer patients. Finally, wet experiments have confirmed that the overexpression of LRRC31 could inhibit the proliferation, colony formation and migration of CRC cells. In conclusion, LRRC31 may be a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for colorectal cancer. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12672-026-04382-w.