Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39400679›Full record

ArticleCellular oncology (Dordrecht, Netherlands)2025

ALKBH4 functions as a hypoxia-responsive tumor suppressor and inhibits metastasis and tumorigenesis.

Ji-Lin Chen, Pei-Hua Peng, Han-Tsang Wu, Dar-Ren Chen, Ching-Yun Hsieh, Jeng-Shou Chang, Joseph Lin, Huan-Yu Lin, Kai-Wen Hsu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cellular oncology (Dordrecht, Netherlands), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

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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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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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

9 authors.

Ji-Lin Chen *Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Pei-Hua Peng *Drug Development Center, Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Han-Tsang Wu *Cancer Research Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.
Dar-Ren ChenCancer Research Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.
Ching-Yun HsiehDivision of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan.
Jeng-Shou ChangCancer Genome Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Joseph LinCancer Research Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.
Huan-Yu LinCheng Ching Hospital Chung Kang Cheng Ching Hospital Branch, Taichung, Taiwan.
Kai-Wen HsuDrug Development Center, Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. kwhsu@mail.cmu.edu.tw.

Funding

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou NRRPG3N0041China Medical University, Taiwan CMU112-MF-06Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan MOST 109-2628-B-039-006Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan MOST 110-2314-B-371-007-MY3National Science and Technology Council NSTC 112-2314-B-182A-056
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe human AlkB homolog (ALKBH) dioxygenase superfamily plays a crucial role in gene regulation and is implicated in cancer progression. Under hypoxic conditions, hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) dynamically regulate methylation by controlling various dioxygenases, thereby modulating gene expression. However, the role of hypoxia-responsive AlkB dioxygenase remains unclear.

methodsThe molecular events were examined using real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. Tumor cell aggressiveness was evaluated through migration, invasion, MTT, trypan blue exclusion, and colony formation assays. In vivo metastatic models and xenograft experiments were conducted to evaluate tumor progression.

resultsHere, we examined the expression of the ALKBH superfamily under hypoxic conditions and found that ALKBH4 expression was negatively regulated by hypoxia. Knockdown of ALKBH4 enhanced the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell migration, invasion, and growth in vitro. The silencing of ALKBH4 enhanced metastatic ability and tumor growth in vivo. Conversely, overexpression of ALLKBH4 reversed these observations. Furthermore, overexpression of ALKBH4 significantly reversed hypoxia/HIF-1α-induced EMT, cell migration, invasion, tumor metastasis, and tumorigenicity. Notably, high expression of ALKBH4 was associated with better outcomes in head and neck cancer and breast cancer patients. Enrichment analysis also revealed that ALKBH4 was negatively enriched in hypoxia-related pathways. Clinically, a negative correlation between ALKBH4 and HIF-1α protein expression has been observed in tissues from both head and neck cancers and breast cancers.

conclusionThese findings collectively suggest that ALKBH4 acts as a tumor suppressor and holds therapeutic potential for hypoxic tumors.

Indexed as

CarcinogenesisGenes, Tumor SuppressorTumor Suppressor ProteinsAnimalsCell HypoxiaCell Line, TumorCell MovementCell ProliferationEpithelial-Mesenchymal TransitionFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansHypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha SubunitMiceMice, Inbred BALB CMice, NudeHypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha SubunitTumor Suppressor ProteinsALKBH4EMTHypoxia

Identifiers

PMID39400679
PMCPMC11996965

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.