Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40281485›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2025

MEF2A, MEF2C, and MEF2D as potential biomarkers of pancreatic cancer?

Chunxia Zhai, Xiaorong Ding, Liping Mao, Yang Ge, Anqi Huang, Fan Yang, Yi Ding

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 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

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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

7 authors.

Chunxia Zhai *Department of Public Health, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong), Nantong, Jiangsu, 226011, China. zhaichunxia@yeah.net.
Xiaorong Ding *Department of Public Health, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong), Nantong, Jiangsu, 226011, China.
Liping Mao *Department of Oncology, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong), Nantong, Jiangsu, 226011, China.
Yang GeDepartment of Public Health, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong), Nantong, Jiangsu, 226011, China.
Anqi HuangDepartment of Public Health, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong), Nantong, Jiangsu, 226011, China.
Fan YangDepartment of Public Health, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong), Nantong, Jiangsu, 226011, China.
Yi DingDepartment of Public Health, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong), Nantong, Jiangsu, 226011, China. ntdingyi@126.com.

Funding

Jiangsu Province 2023 Preventive Medicine Topic Guidance Project Y12023023Jiangsu Province occupational health research project JSZJ20241103Mandatory general project of Nantong Health Commission MS2023088
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2) family genes were involved in the carcinogenesis and prognosis of multiple human tumors. The impact of MEF2s on the occurrences, progression, and clinical outcome of pancreatic cancer (PAAD) remains unknown.

methodsThis study used the CCLE, HPA, EMBL-EBI, and GEPIA2 databases to study MEF2s expression in PAAD patients. We also investigated the relationship between MEF2s expression and methylation through the DiseaseMeth database, and used MEXPRESS to verify the association. Then we utilized the Kaplan-Meier Plotter and GEPIA2 databases to evaluate the prognostic value of MEF2s in PAAD. The cBioPortal database was used to explore the alteration features of MEF2s in PAAD. We then investigated the association between MEF2s expression, immune cells infiltration, and immune infiltration markers using the TIMER database. Finally, Metascape, STRING, and Cytoscape tools were used for functional enrichment analysis.

resultsMEF2A, MEF2C, and MEF2D were found to be highly expressed in PAAD patients' tissues compared to normal tissues, whereas MEF2B expression did not show significant differential expression. In addition, the protein expression of MEF2A, MEF2C, and MEF2D was higher in PAAD tissues. Negative correlations were observed between the expression level of MEF2A, MEF2C, and MEF2D and the methylation levels in multiple sites. High expression of MEF2A was related to poor overall survival (p = 0.0071) and relapse-free survival (RFS) (p = 0.0089) of PAAD. High expression of MEF2C was associated with worse RFS of PAAD (p = 0.043). MEF2A was a Truncating mutation, and it was shown that the "G27Wfs*8" mutation point was distributed in the SRF-TF domain. Both MEF2C and MEF2D were a Missense mutation. MEF2A, MEF2C, and MEF2D expression was positively corresponded with five immune cells infiltration (CD8 + T cells, B-cells, neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells), especially for CD8 + T cells and macrophages. Among the 20 pathways, hsa05140 (Leishmania infection), hsa04022 (cGMP-PKG signaling pathway), hsa05145 (Toxoplasmosis), hsa04371 (Apelin signaling pathway), and hsa04064 (NF-kappa B signaling pathway), were closely connected with the occurrence and development of PAAD.

conclusionsOur results indicated that the overexpression of MEF2A, MEF2C, and MEF2D in patients with PAAD. MEF2A could be used as a prognostic biomarker for PAAD, MEF2C might be a potential oncogene for PAAD, and MEF2D had potential biological significance.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorMEF2 Transcription FactorsPancreatic NeoplasmsDNA MethylationFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansKaplan-Meier EstimateMalePrognosisBiomarkers, TumorMEF2A protein, humanMEF2C protein, humanMEF2D protein, humanMEF2 Transcription FactorsMEF2AMEF2CMEF2DPancreatic cancer

Identifiers

PMID40281485
PMCPMC12023379

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.