Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40234753›Full record

ArticleMolecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.)2025

Acidosis regulates immune progression in rheumatoid arthritis by promoting the expression of cytokines and co-stimulatory molecules in synovial fibroblasts.

Xuewen Qian, Zhuoyan Zai, Yuemin Tao, Huifang Lv, Mengjia Hao, Longbiao Zhang, Xiaoyue Zhang, Yayun Xu, Yihao Zhang, Feihu Chen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Article
  3. 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

10 authors.

Xuewen Qian *School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
Zhuoyan Zai *School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
Yuemin TaoSchool of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
Huifang LvSchool of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
Mengjia HaoSchool of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
Longbiao ZhangSchool of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
Xiaoyue ZhangSchool of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
Yayun XuShenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Second People'S Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518035, China. xuyayun@szseyy.com.
Yihao ZhangSchool of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China. ahmuzyh@ahmu.edu.cn.
Feihu ChenSchool of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China. chenfeihu@ahmu.edu.cn.

Funding

China Postdoctoral Science Foundation No. 2024M762141National Natural Science Foundation of China Grant No. 82102533Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Program No. JCYJ20240813141028037
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTissue acidosis is a key characteristic of RA. It remains unclear whether acidosis promotes the formation of the complex adaptive immune landscape mainly characterized by T cell activation in RA by influencing synovial fibroblasts. This study aims to investigate the influence of acidosis on the immune microenvironment of RA by exploring the cytokine secretion and expression of co-stimulatory factors of RA synovial fibroblasts.

methodsThe Bulk RNA-seq dataset (GSE89408, Normal = 23, RA = 150) was utilized for cytokine screening and the immune state assessment based on disease stage. RNA-seq was employed to investigate cytokine and co-stimulatory molecule expression following 6 h of acid stimulation, combined with Bulk RNA-seq data to evaluate contributions to RA. Human cytokine arrays were used to confirm cytokine accumulation in supernatants after 12 h of acid stimulation. Proteomics was applied to explore cellular functional states in RASFs under 6 h of acid stress, with joint RNA-seq analysis elucidating transcription factor activation. Validation of select high-throughput data was performed using qRT-PCR and immune-based assays.

resultsBulk RNA-seq and RNA-seq identified 56 differentially expressed cytokines at their intersection. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that acid stimulation enhanced cytokine secretion and T cell chemotaxis in RA synovial fibroblasts (RASFs). Cytokine array revealed that acid exposure increased the accumulation of growth factors (e.g., FGF, VEGF) by over twofold and promoted the expression of multiple inflammatory and chemotactic factors. Immune state analysis indicated that acid stimulation induced a complex immune landscape by upregulating co-stimulatory and antigen-presenting molecules. Proteomics showed that acid stress enhanced mitochondrial function and triggered metabolic reprogramming in RASFs. Integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses revealed that AP1 regulates gene expression in RASFs, with its activation further confirmed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence.

Indexed as

AcidosisArthritis, RheumatoidCytokinesFibroblastsSynovial MembraneCells, CulturedDisease ProgressionGene Expression ProfilingGene Expression RegulationHumansCytokinesAcidosisAP- 1CytokineMulti-omicsRheumatoid arthritis

Identifiers

PMID40234753
PMCPMC12001510

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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.