Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41436686›Full record

ArticleInflammation2025

MIF Regulates the Th17/Treg Ratio to Exacerbate Kidney Injury in Chronic Kidney Disease.

Ruijing Zhang, Keyi Fan, Heng Wang, Jinshan Chen, Chuanlong Lu, Lizheng Li, Runze Chang, Maolin Qiao, Yuhang Zhang, Hongjiu Zhang and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Inflammation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

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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

14 authors.

Ruijing Zhang *Department of Nephrology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China.
Keyi Fan *Vascular Institute of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
Heng WangVascular Institute of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
Jinshan ChenVascular Institute of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
Chuanlong LuVascular Institute of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
Lizheng LiVascular Institute of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
Runze ChangVascular Institute of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
Maolin QiaoVascular Institute of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
Yuhang ZhangVascular Institute of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
Hongjiu ZhangVascular Institute of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
Yaling LiVascular Institute of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
Jie ZhangVascular Institute of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
Yijie NingVascular Institute of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
Honglin DongVascular Institute of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China. honglindong@sxmu.edu.cn.

Funding

Construction and demonstration of molecular diagnosis and treatment platform for vascular diseases in Shanxi Province, China SCP-2023-17Innovative Research Group Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China 81770695the Basic Research Program of Shanxi Province 202103021223438The Leading Talent Team Building Program of Shanxi Province, China 202204051002010The National Natural Science Foundation of China 81870354The Regional Cooperation Program of Shanxi Province, China 202204041101038the Science Technology Support Project for Overseas Scholars in Shanxi Province 2022045The Scientific Research Program of the Health Commission of Shanxi Province 2021066The Shanxi Province Graduate Education Innovation Program 2023SJ145The Shanxi Province Graduate Education Innovation Program 2024SJ169The Shanxi Provincial Science and Technology Department Centralized Guided Local Projects YDZJSX2021C026Translational Medicine Engineering Research Center for Vascular Diseases of Shanxi Province, China 2022017
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by gradual and progressive deterioration of renal function over time, and its pathogenesis is strongly associated with immune cell imbalance, Th cell diversification, and oxidative stress. This study aimed to investigate the impact of alterations in the Th17/Treg ratio mediated by the secretory protein macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) on renal injury in CKD patients. Single-cell sequencing was performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) from 15 CKD patients and 20 healthy individuals to compare the characteristics of T-cell subsets, followed by differential signaling pathway analysis. Peripheral blood samples from 20 CKD patients and 10 healthy donors were analyzed using flow cytometry to quantify CD4 + T cell subsets and MIF expression. A 5/6 nephrectomy mouse model and blood CD4 + T cells were extracted to verify the effects of MIF-related proteins on the Th17/Treg ratio and progression of CKD. Besides, AAV-MIF was locally administered into the renal tissue to achieve kidney-specific MIF suppression in CKD model. Single-cell sequencing revealed significant correlation between MIF levels and Th17/Treg ratios, identifying MIF-(CD74 + CXCR4) pathway involvement. Flow cytometry analysis of the clinical cohort demonstrated an elevated Th17/Treg ratio (p < 0.01) in CKD patients compared to normal controls. MIF levels also correlated with renal parameters (Crea, p < 0.001; BUN, p < 0.0001; eGFR, p < 0.0001). In vitro experiments confirmed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in Th17/Treg cells after MIF protein or serum from CKD patients, and these changes were partially reversed by an MIF inhibitor (ISO-1) (p < 0.001). Moreover, renal injury in CKD mice in the AAV-MIF group was significantly reversed. This study revealed that MIF promotes the progression of CKD by regulating the Th17/Treg ratio and that MIF serves as a potential target to prevent CKD.

Indexed as

Intramolecular OxidoreductasesMacrophage Migration-Inhibitory FactorsRenal Insufficiency, ChronicTh17 CellsT-Lymphocytes, RegulatoryAnimalsAntigens, Differentiation, B-LymphocyteDisease ProgressionFemaleHistocompatibility Antigens Class IIHumansKidneyMaleMiceMiddle AgedAntigens, Differentiation, B-LymphocyteHistocompatibility Antigens Class IIIntramolecular Oxidoreductasesinvariant chainMacrophage Migration-Inhibitory FactorsMIF protein, humanChronic kidney disease (CKD)Helper t cells (Th17)Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF)Regulatory t cells (Tregs)

Identifiers

PMID41436686
PMCPMC12769963

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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.