Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39779741›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

SIX1 aggravates the progression of spinal cord injury in mice by promoting M1 polarization of microglia.

Zhonghua Xu, Manhui Zhu, Hua Xie, Jiacheng Zhu, Hongming Zheng, Xiaojuan Liu, Yuting Zhang, Jinbo Liu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 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

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

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

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. 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

8 authors.

Zhonghua Xu *Department of Spinal Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China.
Manhui Zhu *Department of Pathology, Lixiang Eye Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Hua XieDepartment of Orthopedics, Jintan Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Changzhou, China.
Jiacheng ZhuDepartment of Orthopedics, Jintan Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Changzhou, China.
Hongming ZhengDepartment of Spinal Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China.
Xiaojuan LiuDepartment of Pathogen Biology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
Yuting ZhangDepartment of Pathology, Lixiang Eye Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Jinbo LiuDepartment of Spinal Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China. czljbljb@126.com.

Funding

basic research project of Nantong City No. JC22022013Jiangsu Commission of Health Z2022077
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Inflammation aggravates secondary damage following spinal cord injury (SCI). M1 microglia induce inflammation and exert neurotoxic effects, whereas M2 microglia exert anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. The sine oculis homeobox (SIX) gene family consists of six members, including sine oculis homeobox homolog 1 (SIX1)-SIX6. SIX1 is expressed in microglia and promotes inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the role and underlying mechanisms of SIX1 in microglia polarization in vitro (LPS-treated mouse microglia; BV2 cells) and in vivo (a mouse model of SCI). SIX1 expression was increased in the microglia of mice with SCI. SIX1 was positively correlated with the M1 microglia marker inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and negatively correlated with the M2 microglia marker arginase 1 (Arg1) in mice with SCI. Knockdown of SIX1 promoted functional recovery by enhancing M2 microglia polarization in mice with SCI. The transcription, expression, and activity of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) were decreased in LPS-stimulated BV2 cells. Downregulation of EZH2 promoted SIX1 expression in LPS-treated BV2 cells by inhibiting the methylation of the SIX1 promoter. SIX1 enhanced the transcription of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) in LPS-stimulated BV2 cells with downregulated EZH2. VEGF-C promoted M1 polarization and inhibited M2 polarization in BV2 cells by binding to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR3). Overall, the results suggest that SIX1 promotes M1 polarization of microglia following SCI by upregulating the VEGF-C/VEGFR3 axis, whereas the blockade of SIX1 can improve the recovery of locomotor function following SCI, demonstrating a novel strategy for the treatment of SCI.

Indexed as

Homeodomain ProteinsMicrogliaSpinal Cord InjuriesAnimalsArginaseCell LineDisease Models, AnimalDisease ProgressionEnhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 ProteinInflammationLipopolysaccharidesMiceMice, Inbred C57BLNitric Oxide Synthase Type IIPromoter Regions, GeneticVascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3ArginaseEnhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 ProteinEzh2 protein, mouseHomeodomain ProteinsLipopolysaccharidesNitric Oxide Synthase Type IISix1 protein, mouseVascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3MicrogliaPolarizationSine oculis homeobox homolog 1 (SIX1)Spinal cord injury (SCI)Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C)

Identifiers

PMID39779741
PMCPMC11711668

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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.