Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38092723›Full record

ArticleCell death & disease2023

The chromatin remodeling protein BRG1 regulates HSC-myofibroblast differentiation and liver fibrosis.

Yuwen Zhu, Aoqi Kang, Yameng Kuai, Yan Guo, Xiulian Miao, Li Zhu, Ming Kong, Nan Li

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell death & disease, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 15% 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

10 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Molecular medicine reports · 2025
    Article
  8. Roles of PDGF/PDGFR signaling in various organs.The Korean journal of physiology & pharmacology : official journal of the Korean Physiological Society and the Korean Society of Pharmacology · 2025
    Review
  9. Article
  10. Review
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 4 institutions in 1 country.

Yuwen ZhuKey Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Translational Medicine, Departments of Pathophysiology and Human Anatomy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Aoqi KangKey Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Translational Medicine, Departments of Pathophysiology and Human Anatomy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Yameng KuaiKey Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Translational Medicine, Departments of Pathophysiology and Human Anatomy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Yan GuoCollege of Life Sciences and Institute of Biomedical Research, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China.
Xiulian MiaoCollege of Life Sciences and Institute of Biomedical Research, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China.
Li ZhuDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China. 10totti10@163.com.
Ming KongState Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China. mingkong@cpu.edu.cn.ORCID 0009-0003-2170-5157
Nan LiKey Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Translational Medicine, Departments of Pathophysiology and Human Anatomy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. linan@njmu.edu.cn.ORCID 0009-0007-9688-1306
Nanjing Medical University · CNLiaocheng University · CNChina Pharmaceutical University · CNSoochow University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Excessive fibrogenic response in the liver disrupts normal hepatic anatomy and function heralding such end-stage liver diseases as hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis. Myofibroblasts, derived primarily from hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), are the effector of liver fibrosis. In the present study we investigated the mechanism by which Brahma-related gene 1 (BRG1, encoded by Smarca4) regulates HSC-myofibroblast transition and the implication in intervention against liver fibrosis. We report that BRG1 expression was elevated during HSC maturation in cell culture, in animal models, and in human cirrhotic liver biopsy specimens. HSC-specific deletion of BRG1 attenuated liver fibrosis in several different animal models. In addition, BRG1 ablation in myofibroblasts ameliorated liver fibrosis. RNA-seq identified IGFBP5 as a novel target for BRG1. Over-expression of IGFBP5 partially rescued the deficiency in myofibroblast activation when BRG1 was depleted. On the contrary, IGFBP5 knockdown suppressed HSC-myofibroblast transition in vitro and mollified liver fibrosis in mice. Mechanistically, IGFBP5 interacted with Bat3 to stabilize the Bat3-TβR complex and sustain TGF-β signaling. In conclusion, our data provide compelling evidence that BRG1 is a pivotal regulator of liver fibrosis by programming HSC-myofibroblast transition.

Indexed as

Liver NeoplasmsMyofibroblastsAnimalsCells, CulturedChromatin Assembly and DisassemblyDNA HelicasesHepatic Stellate CellsHumansLiverLiver CirrhosisMiceNuclear ProteinsTranscription FactorsDNA HelicasesNuclear ProteinsSMARCA4 protein, humanTranscription Factors

Identifiers

PMID38092723
PMCPMC10719330
OpenAlexW4389703719

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.