Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39138757›Full record

ArticleHepatology international2024

Mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes alleviate liver fibrosis by targeting Hedgehog/SMO signaling.

Ruobin Zong, Yan Zheng, Yufei Yan, Wenao Sun, Liangyi Kong, Yating Huang, Yujie Liu, Chaochen Jiang, Jie Ping, Changyong Li

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Hepatology international, 2024. 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
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

  1. Review
  2. Review
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  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Extracellular vesicles: emerging therapeutic agents for liver fibrosis.Extracellular vesicles and circulating nucleic acids · 2025
    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

10 authors.

Ruobin Zong *Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, 115 Donghu Road, Wuhan, 430071, China.
Yan Zheng *Department of Pharmacy, Hubei Aerospace Hospital, Xiaogan, Hubei, China.
Yufei YanDepartment of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, 115 Donghu Road, Wuhan, 430071, China.
Wenao SunDepartment of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, 115 Donghu Road, Wuhan, 430071, China.
Liangyi KongDepartment of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, 115 Donghu Road, Wuhan, 430071, China.
Yating HuangDepartment of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, 115 Donghu Road, Wuhan, 430071, China.
Yujie LiuDepartment of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, 115 Donghu Road, Wuhan, 430071, China.
Chaochen JiangDepartment of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Jie PingDepartment of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Changyong LiDepartment of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, 115 Donghu Road, Wuhan, 430071, China. lichangyong@whu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4001-037X

Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province 2023AFB611Scientific and Technological Project of Hubei Province 2022BCE059Wuhan Municipal Science and Technology Bureau 2020020601012210
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND &

aimsDespite increasing knowledge regarding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of liver fibrogenesis, there is currently no approved drug for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent progenitor cells representing an attractive therapeutic tool for tissue damage and inflammation. This study was designed to determine the protective effect and underlying mechanism of human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) on thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis.

methodsLiver fibrosis was induced in mice by intraperitoneal injection of thioacetamide (TAA). Some mice were then given injection of UC-MSCs or UC-MSCs-derived exosomes (UC-MSCs-Exo) via the tail vein. Liver tissues were collected for histologic analysis.

resultsWe found that administration of UC-MSCs significantly reduced serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels, and attenuated hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Moreover, the therapeutic effect of UC-MSCs-derived exosomes was similar to that of UC-MSCs. Intriguingly, UC-MSCs-Exo treatment downregulated the expression of smoothened (SMO), a fundamental component of Hedgehog signaling which plays a critical role in fibrogenesis, and subsequently inhibited the activation of hepatic stellate cells, a central driver of fibrosis in experimental and human liver injury. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects of UCMSCs- Exo was reversed by the SMO agonist SAG treatment in mice.

conclusionOur findings suggest that UC-MSCs-Exo exert therapeutic effects on liver fibrosis, at least in part, through inhibiting the Hedgehog/SMO signaling pathway.

Indexed as

ExosomesHedgehog ProteinsLiver CirrhosisMesenchymal Stem CellsSignal TransductionSmoothened ReceptorAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalHepatic Stellate CellsHumansMaleMesenchymal Stem Cell TransplantationMiceMice, Inbred C57BLThioacetamideUmbilical CordHedgehog ProteinsSmoothened ReceptorThioacetamideExosomeHedgehog signalingLiver fibrosisMesenchymal stem cells

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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.