Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41128972›Full record

ArticleMolecular biology reports2025

Inhibition of glutamine synthetase enhances hepatocellular carcinoma radiosensitivity through ROS-induced excessive mitophagy.

Rao Liu, Guangyu Ju, Yijun Lu, Xiao Liu, Qi Ding, Kaiwei Wang, Hongcang Gu, Junchao Qian

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In one paragraph

Article in Molecular biology reports, 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

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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Glutamine metabolism in health and disease.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2026
    Review
  2. 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

8 authors.

Rao LiuAnhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, People's Republic of China.
Guangyu JuAnhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, People's Republic of China.
Yijun LuAnhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, People's Republic of China.
Xiao LiuAnhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, People's Republic of China.
Qi DingAnhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, People's Republic of China.
Kaiwei WangAnhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, People's Republic of China.
Hongcang GuAnhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, People's Republic of China. gu_hongcang@cmpt.ac.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1439-7606
Junchao QianAnhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, People's Republic of China. qianjunchao@ustc.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0755-4885

Funding

Anhui Province Funds for Distinguished Young Scientists 2208085J10China Postdoctoral Science Foundation 2019M652403Collaborative Innovation Program of Hefei Science Center, CAS 2019HSC-CIP003National Natural Science Foundation of China U1932158, 81871085 and 82271519Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province ZR2019LZL018Project of Postdoctoral Innovation of Shandong Province 202002048
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGlutamine' synthetase (GS) plays a central role in glutamine metabolism and has been implicated in the progression and treatment resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although previous studies have explored GS in tumor metabolism, its role in modulating mitophagy and radiosensitivity in HCC cells remains unclear.

methodsWe analyzed GS expression in HCC using data from the TCGA database, followed by treatment of HepG2, Hep3B and Huh7 cells with the GS inhibitor L-methionine sulfoximine (MSO) and exposure to ionizing radiation. Cellular responses were evaluated through CCK-8 assays, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, colony formation assays, and mitochondrial membrane potential measurements.

resultsCorrelation analysis revealed a positive association between GS expression and mitophagy-related genes in HCC. MSO treatment enhanced the effects of radiotherapy, leading to increased ROS production, reduced antioxidant capacity, and aggravated mitochondrial damage. Mitophagy activation was confirmed by LC3-II accumulation and upregulation of the PINK1/Parkin pathway. Notably, the radiosensitizing effect of MSO was partially reversed by Mdivi-1, indicating that mitophagy contributes to MSO-mediated radiosensitization.

conclusionThese findings indicate that inhibition of GS enzyme activity enhances oxidative stress and mitophagy, thereby promoting radiosensitivity in HCC cells. This study provides new insights into the role of GS in overcoming radiotherapy resistance and highlights its potential as a therapeutic target to improve radiotherapeutic outcomes in HCC.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, HepatocellularGlutamate-Ammonia LigaseLiver NeoplasmsMitophagyRadiation ToleranceReactive Oxygen SpeciesCell Line, TumorGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHep G2 CellsHumansMembrane Potential, MitochondrialMethionine SulfoximineMitochondriaOxidative StressUbiquitin-Protein LigasesGlutamate-Ammonia LigaseMethionine Sulfoximineparkin proteinReactive Oxygen SpeciesUbiquitin-Protein LigasesGlutamine synthetaseHepatocellular carcinomaMitophagyRadiosensitizing

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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.