Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41310383›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

m6A regulators-based gene expression pattern is associated with immune microenvironment characteristics in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Wenjuan Wang, Erxiong Wang, Kunqiao Hong, Wei Jiang, Banlai Ruan, Jie Liu, Jinping Tian, Feng Ding, Qiuyun Guo, Qianshan Ding

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific 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

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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

10 authors.

Wenjuan Wang *Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China.
Erxiong Wang *Department of Nephrology, Yulin No.1 Hospital, Yulin, 719000, Shaanxi, China.
Kunqiao Hong *Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China.
Wei JiangHubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease Minimally Invasive Incision, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China.
Banlai RuanCollege of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, Shaanxi, China.
Jie LiuCollege of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, Shaanxi, China.
Jinping TianFaculty of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, Hubei, China.
Feng DingDepartment of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China. dingfengkt@163.com.
Qiuyun Guo *Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China. happyyun.1985@163.com.
Qianshan DingDepartment of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China. dingqs_rmh@whu.edu.cn.

Funding

China Postdoctoral Science Foundation 2021M692613Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province 2024AFB1035Research Start-up Funding of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University RMRCQD2023002
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

To evaluate the relationship between N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification-related genes and the immune microenvironment characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to evaluate the potential of targeting m6A regulators to sensitize HCC cells to immunotherapy. RNA sequencing data and clinicopathologic data of HCC patients were obtained from TCGA and ICGC database. Based on the expression levels of 23 m6A modification regulators, the HCC samples were divided into three m6A clusters by ConsensusClusterPlus algorithm. Survival analysis and clinical features was explored in different clusters. Next, univariate Cox analysis and LASSO regression analysis were applied to screened out 4 immune-related prognostic genes from the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the three clusters, and a risk model was established. Next, Kaplan-Meier plot, time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC), multivariable Cox regression analysis were applied to evaluate the prognostic value of risk model. The relationship between the immune microenvironment and the risk model was estimated using the ESTIMATE method and single sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA). Finally, immunohistochemistry was applied to explore the correlation between the expression levels of PD-L1 and the key m6A regulators METTL3 and YTHDF1. Most m6A regulators were highly expressed in HCC tissues, and positively correlated with each other. The patients in cluster 3 showed the worse prognosis. 449 of the 710 DEGs were immune regulators, and from the 449 genes, a risk model consisting of 4 m6A-related genes (DNTTIP2, SEPHS1, TCOF1 and TXLNA) was established, which was associated with immune microenvironment characteristics of HCC tissues. The risk model was identified as an independent prognostic factor for the overall survival of HCC patients. Higher levels of YTHDF1 and METTL3 expression in HCC tissues were associated with higher expression of PD-L1. m6A modification participates in regulating immune microenvironment of HCC, and targeting m6A may block the immune escape of HCC cells.

Indexed as

AdenosineCarcinoma, HepatocellularGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticLiver NeoplasmsTumor MicroenvironmentB7-H1 AntigenBiomarkers, TumorFemaleGene Expression ProfilingHumansMaleMethyltransferasesMiddle AgedPrognosisRNA-Binding ProteinsRNA Splicing FactorsAdenosineB7-H1 AntigenBiomarkers, TumorCD274 protein, humanMethyltransferasesMETTL3 protein, humanN-methyladenosineRNA-Binding ProteinsRNA Splicing FactorsYTHDF1 protein, humanHepatocellular carcinomaImmunotherapym6A modificationRisk modelTumor microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID41310383
PMCPMC12660722

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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.