Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40064975›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

Investigating ferroptosis-related genes NFE2L2 in neutrophils for ankylosing spondylitis: therapeutic potential of cassia twigs.

Tianyou Chen, Jichong Zhu, Xinli Zhan, Chenxing Zhou, Chengqian Huang, Shaofeng Wu, Bin Zhang, Sitan Feng, Jiarui Chen, Jiang Xue and 2 more

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 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

12 authors.

Tianyou Chen *The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Jichong Zhu *The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Xinli ZhanThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Chenxing ZhouThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Chengqian HuangThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Shaofeng WuThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Bin ZhangThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Sitan FengThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Jiarui ChenThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Jiang XueThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Zhenwei YangThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Chong LiuThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China. liuchong@stu.gxmu.edu.cn.

Funding

Guangxi Young and Middle aged Teacher's Basic Ability Promoting Project 2023KY0115Joint Project on Regional High-Incidence Diseases Research of Guangxi Natural Science Foundation 2023JJA140227National Natural Science Foundation of China 8236090175
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

We determined the relationship between ferroptosis and immune cells in ankylosing spondylitis and the role of the Chinese herbal medicine Cassia twigs in treating ankylosing spondylitis. We analyzed clinical data on ankylosing spondylitis, transcriptome data, single-cell sequencing data, and genes related to ferroptosis and Cassia twigs. Clinical variables related to AS were selected through logistic regression analysis of the clinical data combined with machine learning. GSEA and enrichment analysis were performed on genes related to ferroptosis, combined with transcriptome data and drug-related genes, to identify the key genes and drug targets related to AS, as well as, the key immune cells. Then, the single-cell data and cell subtypes were analyzed. Finally, the interconnections between immune cells were analyzed through intercellular communication. Five variables, including neutrophils, were screened for clinical data analysis. The AUC of the experimental group was 0.859 and that of the validation group was 0.807. Ferroptosis gene NFE2L2 was identified as the final drug target of AS; it was upregulated in AS and downregulated in the control group by immunohistochemical verification, both of which were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Neutrophils were divided into two subgroups: high expression of NFE2L2 and low expression of NFE2L2. Through molecular docking, Cassia twigs were found to effectively act on the ferroptosis gene NFE2L2. Neutrophils act as important immune cells in AS. The twigs of the Chinese herb Cassia can treat AS by acting on the protein structure of the ferroptosis gene NFE2L2.

Indexed as

CassiaDrugs, Chinese HerbalFerroptosisNeutrophilsNF-E2-Related Factor 2Spondylitis, AnkylosingAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedDrugs, Chinese HerbalNFE2L2 protein, humanNF-E2-Related Factor 2Ankylosing spondylitisCassia twigsCell communicationMolecular dockingNeutrophils

Identifiers

PMID40064975
PMCPMC11893771

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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.