Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40352278›Full record

ArticlePeerJ2025

Retrospective study on the correlation between CXCL13, immune infiltration, and tertiary lymphoid structures in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Yulu Chen, Yuhao Wu, Zijun Zhao, Long Wen, Mingshun Wu, Dekun Song, Qingyu Zeng, Yeqiang Liu, Guorong Yan, Guolong Zhang

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in PeerJ, 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

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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. Biology · 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

10 authors.

Yulu ChenDepartment of Phototherapy, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Yuhao WuDepartment of Phototherapy, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Zijun ZhaoDepartment of Phototherapy, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Long WenDepartment of Phototherapy, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Mingshun WuDepartment of Phototherapy, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Dekun SongDepartment of Phototherapy, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Qingyu ZengDepartment of Phototherapy, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Yeqiang LiuDepartment of Phototherapy, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Guorong YanDepartment of Phototherapy, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Guolong ZhangDepartment of Phototherapy, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 13 (CXCL13) is a crucial chemokine for the recruitment of immune cells and the formation of tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) in the tumor microenvironment. However, the relationship between CXCL13 and immune infiltration in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) remains unclear. Objective: We aimed to investigate the expression of CXCL13 and explore its association with immune activation and TLS in cSCC. Methods: A total of 63 cSCC patients were involved in the present study. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used for pathological examination of cSCC. Bioinformatics analyses and immunohistochemical staining were employed to access the expression of CXCL13 and TLS states. Public single cell RNA-sequencing atlas of skin disorders and multiplex immunofluorescence were used to explore CXCL13-producing cells. Results: Utilizing the public database and our clinical cohort, we observed robust CXCL13 expression in cSCC tissues and a significant correlation with immune activation. Higher expression levels of CXCL13 were associated with lower histopathological grades and increased TLS formation. Furthermore, we confirmed that T cells and fibroblasts were the predominant cell types of CXCL13 secretion in cSCC. Conclusions: CXCL13 is up-regulated in cSCC, which shows a significant positive correlation with immune infiltration and TLS formation. Our results underscore the role of CXCL13 in shaping the cSCC microenvironment, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Squamous CellChemokine CXCL13Skin NeoplasmsTertiary Lymphoid StructuresAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesTumor MicroenvironmentChemokine CXCL13CXCL13 protein, humanCutaneous squamous cell carcinomaCXCL13Tertiary lymphoid structureTumor microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID40352278
PMCPMC12065455

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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.