ArticleAnnals of surgery2025
Elucidating the Mechanism of Radiation Therapy on Mesenchymal Cell Fate in Preventing Heterotopic Ossification.
Article in Annals of surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Risk factors and clinical correlations of heterotopic ossification following spinal cord injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2026Pooled it
- Heterotopic ossification of the esophagus identified during surgical management of esophageal carcinoma.Journal of surgical case reports · 2026Article
- Angiogenesis in ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament: progress from mechanism to targeted intervention.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2026Review
- Dosimetric and Radiobiological Evaluation of Inhomogeneity-Corrected Dose Distribution in Prophylactic Radiotherapy for Heterotopic Ossification.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveTo recapitulate the use of radiation in preventing heterotopic ossification (HO) in an animal model to thereby mechanistically investigate radiation-induced changes at the single-cell level.
backgroundHO is the formation of extra-skeletal bone in abnormal areas including muscle and soft tissue. Radiation therapy is a clinically proven, localized preventive measure for HO. Despite its efficacy, there is a lack of standardization of radiation prescription; however, the mechanism of the impact of radiation on HO prevention remains unknown.
methodsC57BL6J male mice underwent burn/tenotomy with and without perioperative radiation treatment. Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed to analyze downstream signaling after HO-forming injury. Immunofluorescence microscopy was used to visualize protein expression changes in HO progenitor cells. In vivo range of motion analyses, histological staining, and micro-computerized tomography were performed to investigate mature HO's effect on joint function and to characterize total HO structure and volume.
resultsIn one fraction, 7 Gy delivered to the injury site within 72 hours postoperatively significantly decreases HO formation and improves hindlimb range of motion. In-depth single-cell transcriptomic analyses with immunofluorescent staining demonstrate decreased cellular numbers, as well as aberrant endochondral differentiation and downregulation of associated upstream BMP and ALK4 signaling pathways in irradiated mesenchymal progenitor cells.
conclusionsOur study is the first to explore the mechanism of radiotherapy prophylaxis in the prevention of traumatic HO. Not only does radiation decreases total HO progenitor cell numbers but also reduces aberrant osteochondral differentiation at the injury site, thereby decreasing overall HO and improving joint function.
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