Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23470625›Full record

ArticleAmerican journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology2013

Reversal of myofibroblast differentiation by prostaglandin E(2).

Garth Garrison, Steven K Huang, Katsuhide Okunishi, Jacob P Scott, Loka Raghu Kumar Penke, Anne M Scruggs, Marc Peters-Golden

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 84 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
84citing papers in PubMed
6.2field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

84 citing papers in PubMed, 125 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Mechanistic basis for the antifibrotic actions of cAMP-based therapies.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2026
    Review
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Distinct cAMP Regulation in Scleroderma Lung and Skin Myofibroblasts Governs Their Dedifferentiation via p38α Inhibition.FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 2025
    Article
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Review
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Prostaglandin EFASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 2023
    Article

24 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Garth GarrisonDivision of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Steven K Huang
Katsuhide Okunishi
Jacob P Scott
Loka Raghu Kumar Penke
Anne M Scruggs
Marc Peters-Golden
University of Michigan · US

Funding

Control of Fibroblast Function by Prostaglandin E2 and Plasminogen ActivationR01HL094311 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI PETERS-GOLDEN, MARC L · 2009 to 2017
$3.4M
Epigenetic Regulation of the E Prostanoid 2 Receptor Gene in Lung FibroblastsK08HL094657 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI HUANG, STEVEN K · 2009 to 2013
$669k
NHLBI NIH HHS HL094311NHLBI NIH HHS HL094657NHLBI NIH HHS K08 HL094657NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL094311
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Differentiation of fibroblasts into α-smooth muscle actin (SMA)-expressing myofibroblasts represents a critical step in the pathogenesis of fibrotic disorders, and is generally regarded as irreversible. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) has been shown to prevent multiple aspects of fibroblast activation, including the differentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts. Here, we investigated its ability to reverse this differentiated phenotype. Fetal and adult lung fibroblasts were induced to differentiate into myofibroblasts by 24-hour culture with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 or endothelin-1. Cells were then treated without or with PGE2 for various intervals and assessed for α-SMA expression. In the absence of PGE2 treatment, α-SMA expression induced by TGF-β1 was persistent and stable for up to 8 days. By contrast, PGE2 treatment effected a dose-dependent decrease in α-SMA and collagen I expression that was observed 2 days after PGE2 addition, peaked at 3 days, and persisted through 8 days in culture. This effect was not explained by an increase in myofibroblast apoptosis, and indeed, reintroduction of TGF-β1 2 days after addition of PGE2 prompted dedifferentiated fibroblasts to re-express α-SMA, indicating redifferentiation to myofibroblasts. This effect of PGE2 was associated with inhibition of focal adhesion kinase signaling, and a focal adhesion kinase inhibitor was also capable of reversing myofibroblast phenotype. These data unambiguously demonstrate reversal of established myofibroblast differentiation. Because many patients have established or even advanced fibrosis by the time they seek medical attention, this capacity of PGE2 has the potential to be harnessed for therapy of late-stage fibrotic disorders.

Indexed as

Cell DifferentiationActinsAntigens, DifferentiationApoptosisCell LineCollagen Type IDinoprostoneEndothelin-1FibrosisFocal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine KinasesGene ExpressionHumansLungLung DiseasesMyofibroblastsPhenotypeActinsAntigens, DifferentiationCollagen Type IDinoprostoneEndothelin-1Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine KinasesPARP1 protein, humanPoly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1Poly(ADP-ribose) PolymerasesTransforming Growth Factor beta1

Identifiers

PMID23470625
PMCPMC3707380
OpenAlexW1978158142

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.