Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40149901›Full record

ArticleBiomolecules2025

Ursolic Acid Inhibits Collagen Production and Promotes Collagen Degradation in Skin Dermal Fibroblasts: Potential Antifibrotic Effects.

Tianyuan He, Yaping Xiang, Hehui Quan, Yingchun Liu, Chunfang Guo, Taihao Quan

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Biomolecules, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Unlocking the Potential ofFoods (Basel, Switzerland) · 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

6 authors.

Tianyuan HeDepartment of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Yaping XiangDepartment of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Hehui QuanLenox Hill Hospital, 100 E 77th St., New York, NY 10075, USA.
Yingchun LiuDepartment of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Chunfang GuoDepartment of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Taihao QuanDepartment of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-0954-5109

Funding

YAP/TAZ Regulation of Extracellular Matrix HomeostasisR01AG083378 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI GARY J FISHER, TaiHao Quan · 2023 to 2026
$2.6M
The impact of the dermal ECM microenvironment on cutaneous aging and cancerR01AG081805 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI GARY J FISHER, TaiHao Quan · 2023 to 2026
$2.6M
The impact of aged-related dermal microenvironment on the development of precancerous stroma and cancer initiationU01AG077924 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI DLUGOSZ, ANDRZEJ A., FISHER, GARY J · 2021 to 2025
$2.3M
CYR61-a novel potential mediator of photoaged human skinR01ES014697 · NIEHS · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI QUAN, TAIHAO · 2007 to 2010
$1.7M
NIA NIH HHS R01 AG081805NIA NIH HHS R01 AG083378NIA NIH HHS U01 AG077924NIEHS NIH HHS R01 ES014697NIH HHS ES014697 30S1NIH HHS RO1AG081805NIH HHS RO1AG083378NIH HHS RO1ES014697
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Tissue fibrosis, characterized by excessive collagen accumulation, leads to impaired organ function and is a hallmark of various chronic diseases. Fibroblasts play a central role in collagen production and deposition. This study examines the impact of ursolic acid, a pentacyclic triterpenoid compound present in various fruits and vegetables, on collagen homeostasis in primary human dermal fibroblasts. Ursolic acid (UA) was observed to significantly reduce collagen production while markedly increasing the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), an enzyme responsible for collagen degradation. Mechanistically, ursolic acid was found to inhibit TGF-β/Smad signaling, leading to decreased collagen production, and to activate mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways and activator protein 1 (AP-1), resulting in enhanced MMP-1 production. These in vitro findings were further validated in an in vivo mouse model of fibrosis, where ursolic acid significantly mitigated bleomycin-induced skin fibrosis. These results suggest that UA could be a promising candidate for treating skin fibrosis due to its dual effects on collagen homeostasis: inhibiting collagen production and promoting collagen degradation.

Indexed as

Antifibrotic AgentsCollagenFibroblastsSkinTriterpenesAnimalsBleomycinCells, CulturedFibrosisHumansMatrix Metalloproteinase 1MiceSignal TransductionTransforming Growth Factor betaUrsolic AcidAntifibrotic AgentsBleomycinCollagenMatrix Metalloproteinase 1Transforming Growth Factor betaTriterpenesUrsolic AcidAP-1collagenfibrosisMAKPMMP-1TGF-β/Smadursolic acid

Identifiers

PMID40149901
PMCPMC11939892

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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.