Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40210876›Full record

ArticleNPJ systems biology and applications2025

Modeling the dynamics of EMT reveals genes associated with pan-cancer intermediate states and plasticity.

MeiLu McDermott, Riddhee Mehta, Evanthia T Roussos Torres, Adam L MacLean

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in NPJ systems biology and applications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing 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

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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  5. Article
  6. Targeting tumor transition windows.Exploration of targeted anti-tumor therapy · 2026
    Review
  7. Article
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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

4 authors.

MeiLu McDermottDepartment of Quantitative and Computational Biology, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Riddhee MehtaDepartment of Quantitative and Computational Biology, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Evanthia T Roussos TorresDepartment of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Keck School of Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Adam L MacLeanDepartment of Quantitative and Computational Biology, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. macleana@usc.edu.

Funding

Computational methods to predict gene regulatory network dynamics and cell state transitionsR35GM143019 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI MACLEAN, ADAM L · 2021 to 2025
$2.1M
National Science Foundation DMS2045327NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM143019NIH HHS R35GM143019
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cell state transition co-opted by cancer that drives metastasis via stable intermediate states. Here we study EMT dynamics to identify marker genes of highly metastatic intermediate cells via mathematical modeling with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data. Across multiple tumor types and stimuli, we identified genes consistently upregulated in EMT intermediate states, many previously unrecognized as EMT markers. Bayesian parameter inference of a simple EMT mathematical model revealed tumor-specific transition rates, providing a framework to quantify EMT progression. Consensus analysis of differential expression, RNA velocity, and model-derived dynamics highlighted SFN and NRG1 as key regulators of intermediate EMT. Independent validation confirmed SFN as an intermediate state marker. Our approach integrates modeling and inference to identify genes associated with EMT dynamics, offering biomarkers and therapeutic targets to modulate tumor-promoting cell state transitions driven by EMT.

Indexed as

Epithelial-Mesenchymal TransitionNeoplasmsBayes TheoremBiomarkers, TumorGene Expression ProfilingGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansModels, BiologicalSequence Analysis, RNASingle-Cell AnalysisBiomarkers, Tumor

Identifiers

PMID40210876
PMCPMC11986130

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.