Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36411329›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2022

Mohawk impedes angiofibrosis by preventing the differentiation of tendon stem/progenitor cells into myofibroblasts.

Asma Mechakra, Junxin Lin, Yuwei Yang, Xiaotian Du, Jingwei Zhang, Paul Maswikitu Ewetse, Feifei Zhou, Enateri Alakpa

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 22% 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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Epigenetic mechanisms in stem cell therapies for achilles tendinopathy.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2025
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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

8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Asma MechakraDr. Li Dak Sum & Yip Yio Chin Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Hangzhou, China. asma.mechakra@gmail.com.
Junxin LinDr. Li Dak Sum & Yip Yio Chin Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Yuwei YangDr. Li Dak Sum & Yip Yio Chin Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Xiaotian DuDr. Li Dak Sum & Yip Yio Chin Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Jingwei ZhangDr. Li Dak Sum & Yip Yio Chin Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Paul Maswikitu EwetseDr. Li Dak Sum & Yip Yio Chin Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Feifei ZhouDr. Li Dak Sum & Yip Yio Chin Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Enateri AlakpaDr. Li Dak Sum & Yip Yio Chin Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Zhejiang University · CN

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 81330041the National Key Research and Development Program of China 2017YFA0104902
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Adult tendons heal via fibrovascular scarring with inferior biomechanical properties. Mohawk (Mkx) emerged as a pivotal actor in tenolineage commitment. However, its precise function in tendinopathy remains poorly understood. This study investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying Mkx' role in fibrovascular healing. Human samples were collected to test fibrovascular markers. We then performed RNAseq on Mkx-/- mice compared to their wild type littermates to decipher Mkx regulome. We therefore sought to reproduce TSPCs transition to myofibroblasts in-vitro by over-expressing MyoD and followed by phenotypic and experimental cells' characterization using microscopy, qRT-PCR, flow cytometry sorting, presto-blue cell viability assay and immunofluorescence. Two different in vivo models were used to assess the effect of the MyoD-expressing myofibroblasts: transplantation in the dorsal area of immunodeficient mice and in an adult Achilles tendon injury model. To prevent angiofibrosis, we tested the molecule Xav939 and proceeded with histological stainings, q-RT PCR transcriptional quantification of angifibrotic markers, mechanical tests, and immunofluorescence. Tendinopathy samples showed fibrovascular healing with decreased tenolineage phenotype. Transcriptomic analysis of Mkx-/- tendons revealed myofibroblast-associated biological processes. Over-expression of MyoD in WT tendon stem progenitor cells (TSPCs) gave rise to myofibroblasts reprogramming in-vitro and fibrovascular scarring in-vivo. MKX directly binds to MyoD promoter and underlies global regulative processes related to angiogenesis and Wnt signaling pathway. Blocking Wnt signaling with the small molecule Xav393 resulted in higher histological and biomechanical properties. Taken together, our data provide the first in vivo and in-vitro evidence of tendon stem progenitor cells to myofibroblasts transition and show improved tendon healing via angiofibrosis modulation, thus opening potential therapeutic avenues to treat tendinopathy patients.

Indexed as

Homeodomain ProteinsMyofibroblastsTendinopathyAnimalsCell DifferentiationCicatrixHumansMiceStem CellsTendonsWnt Signaling PathwayHomeodomain Proteinsmohawk protein, mouse

Identifiers

PMID36411329
PMCPMC9678895
OpenAlexW4309534198

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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.