Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40999385›Full record

ArticleBMC immunology2025

Enfortumab vedotin promotes PD-L1 expression in urothelial carcinoma via NF-κB and STAT3 pathways highlighting mechanisms of immune evasion and potential for combination therapy.

Hirohito Naito, Rikiya Taoka, Xia Zhang, Akram Hossain, Yohei Abe, Mikio Sugimoto

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC immunology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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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

6 authors.

Hirohito NaitoDepartment of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1, Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, 761-0793, Kagawa, Japan.
Rikiya TaokaDepartment of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1, Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, 761-0793, Kagawa, Japan. taoka.rikiya@kagawa-u.ac.jp.
Xia ZhangDepartment of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1, Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, 761-0793, Kagawa, Japan.
Akram HossainDepartment of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1, Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, 761-0793, Kagawa, Japan.
Yohei AbeDepartment of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1, Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, 761-0793, Kagawa, Japan.
Mikio SugimotoDepartment of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1, Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, 761-0793, Kagawa, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors have revolutionized urothelial carcinoma (UC) treatment; however, the effects of prior or concurrent therapies on PD-L1 regulation remain unclear. This study investigates whether enfortumab vedotin (EV), a nectin-4-targeting antibody-drug conjugate, modulates PD-L1 expression in UC cells, and explores the underlying molecular pathways.

methodsUC cell lines RT4 (high nectin-4 expression) and T24 (low nectin-4 expression) were treated with EV (10 µg/ml) for 6, 12, or 24 h, followed by a 48-hour drug-free period. Protein and mRNA expression levels of PD-L1, NF-κB, and STAT3 were quantified using western blotting and qRT-PCR.

resultsEV treatment upregulated PD-L1, NF-κB, and STAT3 in a time-dependent manner, with a more pronounced effect observed in RT4 than in T24 cells. PD-L1 protein levels increased 0.761-fold (12 h) and 2.399-fold (24 h) in RT4, whereas T24 showed a decrease (0.517-fold at 12 h) or minimal change (0.006-fold at 24 h). NF-κB expression increased 64.42-fold (12 h) and 97.03-fold (24 h) in RT4, compared to 1.251-fold (12 h) and 1.210-fold (24 h) in T24. STAT3 levels rose 2.334-fold (12 h) and 2.844-fold (24 h) in RT4, whereas T24 showed increases of 1.620-fold (12 h) and 1.379-fold (24 h). At the mRNA level (6 h post-treatment), PD-L1, NF-κB, and STAT3 were upregulated by 1.228-, 1.332-, and 1.225-fold, respectively, in RT4 cells.

conclusionEV is associated with increased PD-L1 expression, along with upregulation of NF-κB and STAT3, suggesting a mechanistic link that may contribute to immune modulation in nectin-4-high bladder cancer cells. These findings highlight the need for combination strategies integrating EV with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors to optimize therapeutic outcomes in UC.

Indexed as

Antibodies, MonoclonalB7-H1 AntigenNF-kappa BSTAT3 Transcription FactorUrinary Bladder NeoplasmsCell Adhesion MoleculesCell Line, TumorGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansSignal TransductionTumor EscapeAntibodies, MonoclonalB7-H1 AntigenCD274 protein, humanCell Adhesion Moleculesenfortumab vedotinNF-kappa BSTAT3 protein, humanSTAT3 Transcription FactorEnfortumab vedotinNF-κBPD-1/PD-L1 inhibitorSTAT3Urothelial carcinoma

Identifiers

PMID40999385
PMCPMC12465518

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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.