Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40764066›Full record

ArticleLupus science & medicine2025

Mesenchymal stem cells improve ovarian function by suppressing fibrosis through CTGF/FAK signalling in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Haiwei Zhang, Hui Yang, Yingyi Wu, Yirui Shi, Min Xu, Yueyang Zhang, Hongwei Chen, Lingyun Sun

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Lupus science & 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. Article
  3. Potassium-Rich, Gluten-Free Diets for Patients with Sjögren's Syndrome: A Mini-ReviewEndocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets · 2026
    Review
  4. Article
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

8 authors.

Haiwei Zhang *Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Nanjing, China.ORCID 0009-0003-7757-3974
Hui Yang *Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.ORCID 0000-0001-8485-1029
Yingyi WuDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing, China.
Yirui ShiDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Min XuDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Yueyang ZhangDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing, China.
Hongwei ChenDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China chenhw@nju.edu.cn lingyunsun@nju.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-9400-6053
Lingyun SunDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Nanjing, China chenhw@nju.edu.cn lingyunsun@nju.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-8563-2036

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveSLE is a multisystem autoimmune disease characterised by chronic inflammation and progressive organ damage, including ovarian dysfunction. This study investigated the therapeutic efficacy of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) in ameliorating ovarian impairment and restoring ovarian function through the inhibition of fibrosis in a lupus mouse model.

methodsSerum levels of sex hormones were quantified via ELISA. Ovarian tissue samples were histologically evaluated for follicle count and fibrosis via H&E and Masson's trichrome staining. Quantitative reverse-transcriptase-PCR, western blot, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry were employed to evaluate inflammatory cytokines, fibrotic factors, hormone receptors and signalling proteins. Primary granulosa cells (GCs) isolated from lupus mice (MRL/lpr) were cocultured with MSCs and the expression of fibrotic factors was analysed by western blot. Additionally, a human GC line (KGN) was used to further explore the relationships among connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/FAK-Tyr576/577 phosphorylation and fibrosis. This was achieved through stimulation with recombinant CTGF, the CTGF antagonist FG-3019 or the FAK inhibitor SU6656.

resultsUC-MSC transplantation significantly downregulated the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (

conclusionThis study demonstrated that UC-MSC treatment ameliorated ovarian dysfunction and attenuated ovarian fibrosis in lupus mice by modulating the CTGF/FAK-Tyr576/577 phosphorylation pathway.

Indexed as

Connective Tissue Growth FactorFocal Adhesion Kinase 1Lupus Erythematosus, SystemicMesenchymal Stem Cell TransplantationOvaryAnimalsCoculture TechniquesDisease Models, AnimalFemaleFibrosisGranulosa CellsHumansMesenchymal Stem CellsMiceMice, Inbred MRL lprPhosphorylationCCN2 protein, mouseConnective Tissue Growth FactorFocal Adhesion Kinase 1Ptk2 protein, mouseInflammationSystemic Lupus ErythematosusTherapeutics

Identifiers

PMID40764066
PMCPMC12336493

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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.