Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40899455›Full record

ArticleProtein & cell2026

A single-cell transcriptomic landscape characterizes the endocrine system aging in the mouse.

Ran Wei, Zhehao Du, Jue Wang, Jinlong Bi, Wencong Lyu, Haochen Wang, Jianuo He, Fanju Meng, Lijun Zhang, Chao Zhang and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Protein & cell, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

12 authors.

Ran WeiThe State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.ORCID 0000-0002-0598-3400
Zhehao DuThe State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.ORCID 0009-0001-1193-9940
Jue WangSchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Beijing Laboratory of Oral Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
Jinlong BiThe State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.ORCID 0009-0005-6374-1636
Wencong LyuThe State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.ORCID 0009-0001-0456-7560
Haochen WangThe State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.ORCID 0009-0001-3169-6747
Jianuo HeThe State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.ORCID 0009-0006-8826-8408
Fanju MengThe State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.ORCID 0009-0001-7918-6666
Lijun ZhangThe State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.ORCID 0009-0003-6063-0127
Chao ZhangState Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China.ORCID 0000-0003-4167-4872
Chen ZhangSchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Beijing Laboratory of Oral Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.ORCID 0000-0002-7940-8054
Wei TaoThe State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.ORCID 0000-0002-1860-895X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The endocrine system is crucial for maintaining overall homeostasis. However, its cellular signatures have not been elucidated during aging. Here, we conducted the first-ever single-cell transcriptomic profiles from eight endocrine organs in young and aged mice, revealing the activation of cell-type-specific aging pathways, such as loss of proteostasis, genomic instability and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Among six sex-shared endocrine organs, aging severely impaired gene expression networks in functional endocrine cells, accompanied by enhanced immune infiltration and unfolded protein response (UPR). Mechanism investigations showed that expanded aging-associated exhausted T cells activated MHC-I-UPR axis across functional endocrine cells by releasing GZMK. The inhibition of GZMK receptors by small chemical molecules counteracted the UPR and senescence, suggesting the immune infiltration is a possible driver of endocrine aging. Machine learning identified CD59 as a novel aging feature in sex-shared functional endocrine cells. For two sex-specific endocrine organs, both aged ovaries and testes showed enhanced immune responses. Meanwhile, cell-type-specific aging-associated transcriptional changes revealed an enhanced ROS mainly in aged theca cells of ovaries, while aged spermatogonia in testes showed impaired DNA repair. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of endocrine system aging at single-cell resolution, offering profound insights into mechanisms of endocrine aging.

Indexed as

AgingEndocrine SystemSingle-Cell AnalysisTranscriptomeAnimalsFemaleMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLReactive Oxygen SpeciesUnfolded Protein ResponseReactive Oxygen Speciesagingendocrine systemGZMKimmune infiltrationMHC-Isingle-cell RNA-seq

Identifiers

PMID40899455
PMCPMC12888919

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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.