Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40740783›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in immunology2025

Integrative spatial and single-cell transcriptomics elucidate programmed cell death-driven tumor microenvironment dynamics in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Kai Lei, Yutong Zhao, Shumin Li, Jiawei Liu, Wenhao Chen, Caihong Zhou, Yi Zhang, Jinmei Tan, Jian Wu, Qi Zhou and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in immunology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing 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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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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  5. Ubiquitin-conjugating Enzymes in Cancer.International journal of biological sciences · 2026
    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

11 authors.

Kai Lei *Center of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Yutong Zhao *Department of Oncology, Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Shumin Li *Department of Oncology, Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Jiawei LiuDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Wenhao ChenDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Caihong ZhouDivision of Hepatobiliopancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Yi ZhangDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Jinmei TanDepartment of Intensive Care Unit, Wuchuan People's Hospital, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China.
Jian WuCenter of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Qi ZhouCenter of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Jiehui TanDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: Programmed cell death (PCD) mechanisms play crucial roles in cancer progression and treatment response. This study aims to develop a PCD scores prediction model to evaluate the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and elucidate the tumor microenvironment differences. Methods: We analyzed transcriptomic data from 363 HCC patients in the TCGA database and 221 patients in the GEO database to develop a PCD prediction model. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptomics sequencing (ST-seq) data from HCC patients were analyzed to investigate the tumor microenvironment and functional disparities. The oncogenic role of the key gene UBE2E1 in the model was explored in HCC through various Results: Seventeen PCD-related genes were identified as significant prognostic indicators, forming the basis of our PCD prediction model. High-PCD scores correlated with poorer overall survival (OS) and exhibited significant predictive capabilities. scRNA-seq analysis revealed distinct tumor cell characteristics and immune microenvironment differences between high- and low-PCD groups. High-PCD tumors showed increased cell proliferation and malignancy-associated gene expression. T cells in high-PCD patients were more likely to be exhausted, with elevated expression of exhaustion markers. ST-seq data also confirmed these results. Among the genes associated with the PCD prognostic model, UBE2E1 was identified as a key oncogenic marker in HCC. Conclusions: The PCD prediction model effectively predicts prognosis in HCC patients and reveals critical insights into the tumor microenvironment and immune cell exhaustion. This study underscores the potential of PCD-related biomarkers in guiding personalized treatment strategies for HCC.

Indexed as

ApoptosisCarcinoma, HepatocellularLiver NeoplasmsTranscriptomeTumor MicroenvironmentBiomarkers, TumorFemaleGene Expression ProfilingGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMalePrognosisSingle-Cell AnalysisBiomarkers, Tumorhepatocellular carcinomaprediction modelprogrammed cell deathtumor microenvironmentUbe2E1

Identifiers

PMID40740783
PMCPMC12308848

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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.