Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41390431›Full record

ArticleStem cell research & therapy2025

Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease via activating TFEB-mediated autophagy in male mice.

Huina Zhang, Peng Liu, Yaxuan Deng, Li Wu, Orion Fan, Yanling Cui, Chunxue Zhang, Wenmin Zhu, Yi Eve Sun, Chuwen Lin and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Stem cell research & therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

11 authors.

Huina Zhang *Stem Cell Translational Research Center, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200065, China.
Peng Liu *Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.
Yaxuan Deng *Stem Cell Translational Research Center, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200065, China.
Li WuShanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China.
Orion FanStem Cell Translational Research Center, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200065, China.
Yanling CuiStem Cell Translational Research Center, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200065, China.
Chunxue ZhangShanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China.
Wenmin ZhuStem Cell Translational Research Center, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200065, China.
Yi Eve SunStem Cell Translational Research Center, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200065, China. yi.eve.sun@gmail.com.
Chuwen LinDepartment of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China. linchuwenn@163.com.
Congrong WangDepartment of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China. crwang@tongji.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8645-1114

Funding

Key discipline project of Hongkou District Health Commission HKLCFC202403Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases-National Science and Technology Major Project 2025ZD0549900Research fund from Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital sykyqd01801，SY-XKZT-2021-1001Shanghai Science and Technology Development Funds 22410713200the Fund of Shanghai Hongkou District Health Committee Hong Wei 2303-06the Natural Science Foundation of China 82070913
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by abnormal lipid accumulation in hepatocytes and defective autophagy has been implicated in its pathogenesis. Human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUC-MSCs) have shown therapeutic potential in treating NAFLD, while underlying molecular mechanisms remained largely unknown.

methodsMale C57BL/6J mice fed a choline-deficient high fat diet (CD-HFD) and HepG2 cells exposed to palmitic acid/oleic acid were established as in vivo and in vitro models of NAFLD, respectively. Both models were subjected to treatment with human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUC-MSCs). Lipid content, proinflammatory cytokines, fibrosis markers and the hepatic transcriptome were assessed to determine the effect of hUC-MSCs.

resultsHere, hUC-MSCs decreased hepatic lipid content and alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase levels, as well as attenuated inflammation and fibrosis in choline-deficient high-fat diet (CD-HFD)-induced NAFLD mice. Mechanistically, hUC-MSCs restored impaired autophagic flux and mitigated liver steatosis through the AMPK-mTOR-TFEB pathway in both NAFLD mice and oleic acid/palmitic acid-induced "fatty" HepG2 cells. Of note, hUC-MSCs have been found to promote nuclear translocation of TFEB in PA/OA-induced HepG2 cells. Additionally, TFEB knockdown partially attenuated the effect of hUC-MSCs on enhancing autophagy and lipid metabolism in vitro.

conclusionsThis study suggests that hUC-MSCs represent a potential therapeutic approach to treating NAFLD through activating TFEB-mediated autophagy.

Indexed as

AutophagyBasic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription FactorsMesenchymal Stem CellsMesenchymal Stem Cell TransplantationNon-alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseUmbilical CordAnimalsDiet, High-FatDisease Models, AnimalHep G2 CellsHumansLiverMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLPalmitic AcidBasic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription FactorsPalmitic AcidTcfeb protein, mouseAutophagyhUC-MSCsNAFLDTranscription factor EB

Identifiers

PMID41390431
PMCPMC12817827

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.