The ZNF737-CXCL10 axis drives immune exclusion and resistance to anti-PD-1 therapy in bladder cancer

ZNF737 is a pivotal, tumor cell-intrinsic repressor that establishes an immune-excluded and cytotoxicity-resistant TME in BLCA. Our findings establish ZNF737 as a mechanistic driver of immune evasion and a powerful PD-L1-complementary biomarker for predicting ICB resistance. These results position ZNF737 as a high-priority therapeutic target for developing "cold-to-hot" combination strategies in bladder cancer.