Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40247387›Full record

ArticleGenome biology2025

Hmgb2 improves astrocyte to neuron conversion by increasing the chromatin accessibility of genes associated with neuronal maturation in a proneuronal factor-dependent manner.

Priya Maddhesiya, Tjasa Lepko, Andrea Steiner-Mezzardi, Julia Schneider, Veronika Schwarz, Juliane Merl-Pham, Finja Berger, Stefanie M Hauck, Lorenza Ronfani, Marco Bianchi and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Genome biology, 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. 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

15 authors.

Priya Maddhesiya *Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Medical Faculty, LMU, Munich, Germany.
Tjasa LepkoDepartment of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Medical Faculty, LMU, Munich, Germany.
Andrea Steiner-MezzardiInstitute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Munich, Germany.
Julia SchneiderDepartment of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Medical Faculty, LMU, Munich, Germany.
Veronika SchwarzDepartment of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Medical Faculty, LMU, Munich, Germany.
Juliane Merl-PhamResearch Unit Protein Science and Metabolomics and Proteomics Core, Helmholtz Centre Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, , Neuherberg, Germany.
Finja BergerDepartment of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Medical Faculty, LMU, Munich, Germany.
Stefanie M HauckResearch Unit Protein Science and Metabolomics and Proteomics Core, Helmholtz Centre Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, , Neuherberg, Germany.
Lorenza RonfaniSchool of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
Marco BianchiSchool of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
Tatiana SimonBiomedical Center Munich (BMC), Institute of Physiological Genomics, LMU, Munich, Germany.
Anthodesmi KrontiraInstitute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Munich, Germany.
Giacomo MasserdottiInstitute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Munich, Germany.
Magdalena GötzInstitute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Munich, Germany.
Jovica NinkovicDepartment of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Medical Faculty, LMU, Munich, Germany. jovica.ninkovic@helmholtz-munich.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4381-0041

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDirect conversion of reactive glial cells to neurons is a promising avenue for neuronal replacement therapies after brain injury or neurodegeneration. The overexpression of neurogenic fate determinants in glial cells results in conversion to neurons. For repair purposes, the conversion should ideally be induced in the pathology-induced neuroinflammatory environment. However, very little is known regarding the influence of the injury-induced neuroinflammatory environment and released growth factors on the direct conversion process.

resultsWe establish a new in vitro culture system of postnatal astrocytes without epidermal growth factor that reflects the direct conversion rate in the injured, neuroinflammatory environment in vivo. We demonstrate that the growth factor combination corresponding to the injured environment defines the ability of glia to be directly converted to neurons. Using this culture system, we show that chromatin structural protein high mobility group box 2 (HMGB2) regulates the direct conversion rate downstream of the growth factor combination. We further demonstrate that Hmgb2 cooperates with neurogenic fate determinants, such as Neurog2, in opening chromatin at the loci of genes regulating neuronal maturation and synapse formation. Consequently, early chromatin rearrangements occur during direct fate conversion and are necessary for full fate conversion.

conclusionsOur data demonstrate novel growth factor-controlled regulation of gene expression during direct fate conversion. This regulation is crucial for proper maturation of induced neurons and could be targeted to improve the repair process.

Indexed as

AstrocytesChromatinHMGB2 ProteinNeurogenesisNeuronsAnimalsBasic Helix-Loop-Helix ProteinsCell DifferentiationCells, CulturedMiceNerve Tissue ProteinsBasic Helix-Loop-Helix ProteinsChromatinHMGB2 ProteinNerve Tissue ProteinsNeurog2 protein, mouse

Identifiers

PMID40247387
PMCPMC12007351

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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.