Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40517179›Full record

ArticleNPJ genomic medicine2025

Integrating explainable machine learning and transcriptomics data reveals cell-type specific immune signatures underlying macular degeneration.

Khang Ma, Hosei Nakajima, Nipa Basak, Arko Barman, Rinki Ratnapriya

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in NPJ genomic medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Translational andrology and urology · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. 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

5 authors.

Khang MaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Hosei NakajimaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Nipa BasakDepartment of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Arko BarmanData to Knowledge Lab, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5357-5786
Rinki RatnapriyaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. rpriya@bcm.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0469-4631

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have established key role of immune dysfunction in Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), though the precise role of immune cells remains unclear. Here, we develop an explainable machine-learning pipeline (ML) using transcriptome data of 453 donor retinas, identifying 81 genes distinguishing AMD from controls (AUC-ROC of 0.80, CI 0.70-0.92). Most of these genes were enriched in their expression within retinal glial cells, particularly microglia and astrocytes. Their role in AMD was further strengthened by cellular deconvolution, which identified distinct differences in microglia and astrocytes between normal and AMD. We corroborated these findings using independent single-cell data, where several ML genes exhibited differential expression. Finally, the integration of AMD-GWAS data identified a regulatory variant, rs4133124 at PLCG2, as a novel AMD association. Collectively, our study provides molecular insights into the recurring theme of immune dysfunction in AMD and highlights the significance of glial cell differences in AMD progression.

Identifiers

PMID40517179
PMCPMC12167386

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.