Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41649246›Full record

ArticleeLife2026

Suppression of interferon signaling via small-molecule modulation of TFAM.

Dionisia Sideris, Husan Lee, Lyndsay Olson, Kalyan Nallaparaju, Keiichiro Okuyama, Jeffrey Ciavarri, Robert Lafyatis, Mads Larsen, Bo Lin, Irene Alfaras and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in eLife, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. 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

15 authors.

Dionisia SiderisAstellas Pharmaceuticals Inc, Oncology Research, Cancer Biology, Cambridge, United States.
Husan LeeAstellas Pharmaceuticals Inc, Oncology Research, Cancer Biology, Cambridge, United States.
Lyndsay OlsonAstellas Pharmaceuticals Inc, Oncology Research, Cancer Biology, Cambridge, United States.
Kalyan NallaparajuAstellas Pharmaceuticals Inc, Oncology Research, Cancer Biology, Cambridge, United States.
Keiichiro OkuyamaAstellas Pharmaceuticals Inc, Oncology Medicinal Chemistry, Cambridge, United States.
Jeffrey CiavarriAstellas Pharmaceuticals Inc, Oncology Medicinal Chemistry, Cambridge, United States.
Robert LafyatisDivision of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States.
Mads LarsenAging Institute, University of Pittsburgh/UPMC, Pittsburgh, United States.
Bo LinAging Institute, University of Pittsburgh/UPMC, Pittsburgh, United States.
Irene AlfarasAging Institute, University of Pittsburgh/UPMC, Pittsburgh, United States.
Jason KennerdellAging Institute, University of Pittsburgh/UPMC, Pittsburgh, United States.
Toren FinkelAging Institute, University of Pittsburgh/UPMC, Pittsburgh, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5265-7982
Yuan LiuAging Institute, University of Pittsburgh/UPMC, Pittsburgh, United States.
Bill ChenAging Institute, University of Pittsburgh/UPMC, Pittsburgh, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2695-5107
Lin LyuAstellas Pharmaceuticals Inc, Oncology Research, Cancer Biology, Cambridge, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9771-0110

Funding

Astellas Pharma (Canada) Internal funding
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) is essential for mitochondrial genome maintenance. It binds to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and determines the abundance, packaging, and stability of the mitochondrial genome. Because its function is tightly associated with mtDNA, TFAM has a protective role in mitochondrial diseases, and supportive studies demonstrate reversal of disease phenotypes by TFAM overexpression. In addition, TFAM deficiency has been shown to cause release of mtDNA into the cytosol and activation of the cGAS/STING innate immune response pathway. As such, TFAM presents as a unique target for therapeutic intervention, but limited efforts for activators have been reported. Herein, we disclose novel TFAM small-molecule modulators with sub-micromolar activity. Our results demonstrate that these compounds result in an increase of TFAM protein levels and mtDNA copy number. This results in inhibition of a mtDNA stress-mediated inflammatory response by preventing mtDNA escape into the cytosol. Furthermore, we see beneficial effects in cellular disease models in which boosting TFAM activity has been advanced as a disease-modifying strategy including improved energetics in MELAS cybrid cells and a decrease of fibrotic markers in systemic sclerosis fibroblasts. These results highlight the therapeutic potential of using small-molecule TFAM activators in indications characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction.

Indexed as

DNA-Binding ProteinsMitochondrial ProteinsSignal TransductionSmall Molecule LibrariesTranscription FactorsAnimalscGAS-STING Signaling PathwayDNA, MitochondrialHumansMitochondriaDNA-Binding ProteinsDNA, MitochondrialMitochondrial ProteinsSmall Molecule LibrariesTFAM protein, humanTranscription Factorscell biologycGAS-STING pathwayhumaninterferon sinalingmitochondriamitochondrial DNAsmall moleculeTFAM

Identifiers

PMID41649246
PMCPMC12880803

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.