Fig. 4

This schematic illustrates the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in tumor immune evasion and potential therapeutic strategies targeting this pathway. Wnt ligands bind to Frizzled receptors and LRP5/6 co-receptors, preventing the degradation of β-catenin by the destruction complex (Axin, APC, and GSK-3β). Stabilized β-catenin translocates to the nucleus, where it interacts with TCF/LEF transcription factors to drive the expression of immune evasion genes, leading to reduced antigen presentation, increased Tregs, MDSCs, and TAMs, while suppressing CTLs. Therapeutic approaches targeting this pathway include porcupine inhibitors, Wnt ligand and Frizzled receptor inhibitors, and small molecule inhibitors. Additionally, combination strategies with immune checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T/NK cell therapies offer promising avenues for restoring anti-tumor immunity