Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39871325›Full record

ArticleMilitary Medical Research2025

MELK prevents radiofrequency ablation-induced immunogenic cell death and antitumor immune response by stabilizing FABP5 in hepatocellular malignancies.

Bu-Fu Tang, Wang-Ting Xu, Shi-Ji Fang, Jin-Yu Zhu, Rong-Fang Qiu, Lin Shen, Yang Yang, Qiao-You Weng, Ya-Jie Wang, Jia-Yi Ding and 8 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Military Medical Research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing 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

19 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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  3. Ultrasound-activated nanoregulator enables CuJournal of nanobiotechnology · 2026
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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

18 authors.

Bu-Fu Tang *Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China.
Wang-Ting Xu *Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
Shi-Ji Fang *Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China.
Jin-Yu Zhu *Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China.
Rong-Fang QiuKey Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China.
Lin ShenKey Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China.
Yang YangKey Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China.
Qiao-You WengKey Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China.
Ya-Jie WangKey Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China.
Jia-Yi DingKey Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China.
Xiao-Jie ZhangKey Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China.
Wei-Qian ChenKey Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China.
Li-Yun ZhengKey Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China.
Jing-Jing SongKey Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China.
Biao ChenKey Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China.
Zhong-Wei ZhaoKey Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China. zhaozw79@163.com.
Min-Jiang ChenKey Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China. minjiangchen@wmu.edu.cn.
Jian-Song JiKey Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, Lishui Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, 323000, Zhejiang, China. jijiansong@zju.edu.cn.

Funding

Key Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province 2023C03062National Natural Science Foundation of China 82072025National Natural Science Foundation of China 82072026National Natural Science Foundation of China 82102162National Natural Science Foundation of China 82303886Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province LQ22H180010Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province LTY21H160040Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province LY22H160040
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRadiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an efficient treatment with unlimited potential for liver cancer that can effectively reduce patient mortality. Understanding the biological process related with RFA treatment is important for improving treatment strategy. This study aimed to identify the critical targets for regulating the efficacy of RFA.

methodsThe RFA treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor models in vivo, was analyzed by RNA sequencing technology. The heat treatment in vitro for HCC tumor cells was also constructed to explore the mechanism after RFA treatment in tumor cells. Nanoparticles with high affinity to tumor cells were applied as a new therapy to interfere with the expression of maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK).

resultsIt was found that RFA treatment upregulated MELK expression, and MELK inhibition promoted RFA efficacy by immunogenic cell death and the antitumor response, including anti-tumoral macrophage polarization and increased CD8

conclusionMELK is a therapeutic target by regulating RFA efficacy in HCC, and targeting MELK via RGD-LNPs provides new insight into improving RFA efficacy in HCC clinical treatment and combating the malignant progression of liver cancer.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, HepatocellularFatty Acid-Binding ProteinsImmunogenic Cell DeathLiver NeoplasmsProtein Serine-Threonine KinasesRadiofrequency AblationAnimalsCell Line, TumorHumansMiceFatty Acid-Binding ProteinsMELK protein, humanProtein Serine-Threonine KinasesFatty acid-binding protein 5 (FABP5)Immune microenvironmentLiver cancerMaternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK)NanoparticlesRadiofrequency ablation

Identifiers

PMID39871325
PMCPMC11773770

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.