Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37608388›Full record

ArticleArthritis research & therapy2023

Iguratimod suppresses Tfh cell differentiation in primary Sjögren's syndrome patients through inhibiting Akt/mTOR/STAT3 signaling.

Taibiao Lyu, Hui Jiang, Liuting Zeng, Suying Liu, Chengmei He, Chaowen Luo, Lin Qiao, Yan Zhao, Hua Chen

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Arthritis research & therapy, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
2.1field-weighted citation impact, top 12% 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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. T follicular helper cells in primary immune regulatory disorders.The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology · 2025
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Exosomes as immunomodulators in autoimmune inflammation: implications for primary Sjögren's disease.Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.] · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
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

9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Taibiao Lyu *Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China.
Hui Jiang *Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China.
Liuting ZengDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China.
Suying LiuDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China.
Chengmei HeDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China.
Chaowen LuoDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China.
Lin QiaoDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China.
Yan ZhaoDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China. zhaoyan_pumch2002@aliyun.com.
Hua ChenDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China. chenhua@pumch.cn.
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College · CNPeking Union Medical College Hospital · CNMinistry of Education of the People's Republic of China · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIguratimod (IGU) reduces hypergammaglobulinemia and disease activity in pSS (primary Sjögren's syndrome) patients. However, the therapeutical mechanism of IGU for pSS remains largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the regulation of Tfh cell differentiation by IGU in pSS patients.

methodsWe prospectively enrolled 13 pSS patients treated with IGU for 3 months and examined circulating T cell and B cell subsets by flow cytometry. We measured Tfh cell differentiation treated by IGU in pSS patients and healthy controls. Transcriptome analysis combined with molecular docking were employed to identify potential therapeutical targets of IGU, which were verified by Western blot and Tfh cell differentiation.

resultsTfh, plasmablast, and plasma cells were suppressed by IGU treatment at 1 and 3 months. Tfh cell differentiation and function were significant inhibited by IGU in pSS patients and healthy controls in vitro. Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) was identified as a target of IGU during Tfh cell differentiation, and the downstream Akt phosphorylation was attenuated by IGU. Moreover, the activity of mTORC1 and phosphorylation of STAT3 were suppressed by IGU, with downregulation of BCL6 and upregulation of PRDM1. Finally, Akt activator restored IGU-suppressed Tfh cell differentiation.

conclusionsIGU suppresses Tfh cell differentiation in pSS patients through interacting with PDK1 and suppressing Akt-mTOR-STAT3 signaling.

Indexed as

Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktSjogren's SyndromeCell DifferentiationChromonesHumansMolecular Docking SimulationSTAT3 Transcription FactorSulfonamidesTOR Serine-Threonine KinasesChromonesiguratimodProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktSTAT3 protein, humanSTAT3 Transcription FactorSulfonamidesTOR Serine-Threonine KinasesFollicular helper T cellIguratimodPrimary Sjögren’s syndrome

Identifiers

PMID37608388
PMCPMC10463648
OpenAlexW4386073861

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.