Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40128847›Full record

ArticleJournal of translational medicine2025

Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate promotes proliferation and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells to repair rat spinal cord injury via the Notch pathway.

Wenqing Zhong, Luchun Xu, Guozheng Jiang, Yushan Gao, Jiawei Song, Yukun Ma, Guanlong Wang, Jiaojiao Fan, Wenhao Li, Shibo Zhou and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of translational medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

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

  1. Danshen (Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. 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

12 authors.

Wenqing Zhong *Department of Orthopedics, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, PR China.
Luchun Xu *Department of Orthopedics, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, PR China.
Guozheng Jiang *Department of Orthopedics, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, PR China.
Yushan GaoSchool of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China.
Jiawei SongDepartment of Orthopedics, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, PR China.
Yukun MaDepartment of Orthopedics, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, PR China.
Guanlong WangDepartment of Orthopedics, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, PR China.
Jiaojiao FanDepartment of Orthopedics, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, PR China.
Wenhao LiDepartment of Orthopedics, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, PR China.
Shibo ZhouDepartment of Orthopedics, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, PR China.
Yongdong YangDepartment of Orthopedics, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, PR China. yyd8817@163.com.
Xing YuDepartment of Orthopedics, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, PR China. yuxingbucm@163.com.

Funding

the Central High-Level Clinical Research Fund for Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospitals DZMG-QNGG0010the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities 2024-JYB-JBZD-065the National Natural Science Foundation of China 81804119the National Natural Science Foundation of China 81973882
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInterventions that promote the proliferation of endogenous neural stem cells (ENSCs) and induce their differentiation into neurons after spinal cord injury (SCI) hold significant potential for SCI repair. Tanshinone IIA (TIIA) exhibits extensive neuroprotective effects, and its derivative, sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS), has enhanced water solubility, making it easier to prepare injectable formulations and increasing bioavailability. STS injections have been extensively utilized in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and their clinical application in SCI shows promising potential. However, it remains unclear whether STS can promote spinal cord injury repair in rats by modulating the proliferation and differentiation of ENSCs, and the underlying regulatory mechanisms are yet to be elucidated.

methodsIn this study, an incomplete spinal cord injury model was established in rats using the NYU spinal cord impactor. The regulatory effects of STS on ENSCs in rats post-SCI were observed by detecting the NSC marker Nestin, the neuronal marker NeuN, and the astrocyte marker GFAP. Additionally, rat behavioral assessments, histopathology, serum inflammation indices, and Notch signaling pathway activation were evaluated. In vitro experiments utilized an lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced rats spinal cord NSCs inflammation model. The effects of STS on the proliferation and viability of rats spinal cord NSCs were assessed using the CCK-8 assay and immunofluorescence cell counting. The mechanisms by which STS regulates NSC proliferation and differentiation via the Notch pathway were verified using immunofluorescence, Western blot, and RT-PCR techniques.

resultsIn vitro, STS significantly reduced the levels of inflammatory indices in the LPS-induced rats NSCs inflammation model and improved the viability of rats NSCs following inflammatory injury. STS also significantly increased the proliferation of NSCs and their differentiation into neurons while reducing their differentiation into astrocytes. Moreover, LPS significantly activated the Notch pathway, similar to the effects of the Notch pathway agonist valproic acid (VPA), whereas STS intervention could inhibit the LPS- or VPA-induced activation of the Notch pathway. In vivo, STS markedly improved the hindlimb motor function of rats with SCI, decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α, and increased the level of the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10, thereby improving the pathological morphology of the injured spinal cord in rats post-SCI. STS effectively promoted the proliferation of ENSCs post-SCI, facilitated their differentiation into neurons, and inhibited their differentiation into astrocytes. Additionally, STS suppressed the excessive activation of the Notch signaling pathway following SCI.

conclusionSTS promotes the proliferation of ENSCs post-SCI in rats, induces their differentiation into neurons, and inhibits their differentiation into astrocytes, thereby improving the pathological morphology of the injured spinal cord and promoting the recovery of hindlimb motor function in rats post-SCI. Furthermore, the regulatory effects of STS on the proliferation and differentiation of ENSCs post-SCI in rats may be related to its inhibition of the excessive activation of the Notch signaling pathway.

Indexed as

Cell DifferentiationNeural Stem CellsPhenanthrenesReceptors, NotchSignal TransductionSpinal Cord InjuriesAnimalsAstrocytesCell ProliferationCell SurvivalInflammationRatsRats, Sprague-DawleyPhenanthrenesReceptors, Notchtanshinone II A sodium sulfonateDifferentiationEndogenous neural stem cellsNotch signaling pathwayProliferationSodium tanshinone IIA sulfonateSpinal cord injury

Identifiers

PMID40128847
PMCPMC11934593

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.