Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41629625›Full record

ArticleEMBO reports2026

VGLL4 modulates Paneth cells and sustains intestinal homeostasis.

Haoen Zhang, Zuoyun Wang, Xiaodong Wang, Wentao Yu, Guoying Zhang, Haijiao Zhang, Yi Lu, Yang Sun, Tiantian Lu, Xiaoyu Li and 15 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in EMBO reports, 2026. 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. Long Noncoding RNANon-coding RNA · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
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

25 authors.

Haoen Zhang *Sheng Yushou Center of Cell Biology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0009-0008-9824-6776
Zuoyun Wang *Department of Anatomy and Histoembryology, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, 200032, Shanghai, China.
Xiaodong WangThe Department of Urology, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200233, Shanghai, China.
Wentao YuCenter for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
Guoying ZhangShanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
Haijiao ZhangSheng Yushou Center of Cell Biology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China.
Yi LuCenter for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
Yang SunSheng Yushou Center of Cell Biology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China.
Tiantian LuCenter for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
Xiaoyu LiCenter for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
Ruizeng YangSheng Yushou Center of Cell Biology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China.
Jiaqi SunSheng Yushou Center of Cell Biology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China.
Jinjin XuSheng Yushou Center of Cell Biology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China.
Shuo HuangSchool of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 310024, Hangzhou, China.
Xueyan MaCenter for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
Jiale RenShanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
Nan TangDepartment of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Xuhui District Central Hospital, 200237, Shanghai, China.
Zhonghua ChengDepartment of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Xuhui District Central Hospital, 200237, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0003-0831-7822
Jing YuSheng Yushou Center of Cell Biology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0002-6646-9341
Fang WeiSheng Yushou Center of Cell Biology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0001-8964-1645
Hu ZhouDepartment of Analytical Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201203, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0001-7006-4737
Jinsong LiCenter for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0003-3456-662X
Jun QinShanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
Yunyun JinSheng Yushou Center of Cell Biology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China. yunyunjin@sjtu.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0003-1353-8697
Lei ZhangSheng Yushou Center of Cell Biology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China. rayzhang@sjtu.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0003-2566-6493

Funding

MOST | National Key Research and Development Program of China (NKPs) 2020YFA0803201MOST | National Key Research and Development Program of China (NKPs) 2022YFA1106400MOST | National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) 32030025MOST | National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) 32070827MOST | National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) 32221002MOST | National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) 32270886MOST | National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) 32293233MOST | National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) 32370751Shanghai Oriental Talent Program QNJY2024131
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Paneth cells are defensive cells in the intestinal tract, which secrete niche factors and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) to maintain the small intestinal stem cell niche and immune homeostasis. Here, we show that Vestigial-like family member 4 (VGLL4) plays a pivotal role in maintaining small intestinal homeostasis and in regulating Paneth cells. VGLL4 expression is downregulated in response to irradiation and DSS-induced colitis. Consistently, public datasets of human colitis show reduced VGLL4 expression. Loss of VGLL4 in the intestinal epithelium decreases Paneth cell numbers and AMPs production, and triggers gut microbiota dysbiosis, impairing intestinal regenerative capacity. Mechanistically, VGLL4 forms a complex with TEAD4 and ATOH1, stimulating GFI1 expression and promoting Paneth cell differentiation. Furthermore, VGLL4 forms a complex with TEAD4 and TCF4 to induce defensin expression, thereby maintaining microbiota composition. Collectively, our findings uncover novel roles for VGLL4 in intestinal homeostasis.

Indexed as

HomeostasisIntestinesPaneth CellsTranscription FactorsAnimalsBasic Helix-Loop-Helix ProteinsCell DifferentiationColitisDNA-Binding ProteinsHumansIntestinal MucosaMiceTEA Domain Transcription FactorsBasic Helix-Loop-Helix ProteinsDNA-Binding ProteinsGfi1 protein, mouseTEA Domain Transcription FactorsTranscription FactorsATOH1GFI1Intestinal HomeostasisPaneth CellVGLL4

Identifiers

PMID41629625
PMCPMC12979657

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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.