Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41708627›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

Energy-sensing molecule RORγ regulates cholesterol metabolism and immune signaling in diabetic kidney disease and aging.

Zhen Liang, Jiaqing Xiang, Guangyan Yang, Xiaomai Liu, Lixing Li, Yanchun Li, Yan Lu, Lin Kang, Yuanli Chen, Chuanrui Ma and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 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. Article
  2. 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.

Zhen Liang *Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4700-0203
Jiaqing Xiang *Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Guangyan Yang *Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4498-5844
Xiaomai LiuDepartment of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Lixing LiDepartment of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Yanchun LiDepartment of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Yan LuInstitute of Metabolism and Regenerative Medicine, Digestive Endoscopic Center, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3468-2241
Lin KangDepartment of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. kang.lin@szhospital.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-2986-797X
Yuanli ChenAnhui Provincial International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Major Metabolic Diseases and Nutritional Interventions; School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China. chenyuanli@hfut.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0813-3847
Chuanrui MaFirst Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China. chuanruima2013@mail.nankai.edu.cn.
Shu YangDepartment of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. yang.shu@szhospital.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4912-777X

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82370876
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aging is a major risk factor for diabetic kidney disease (DKD), with both conditions exhibiting similar renal pathology. We identify the energy-sensing molecule Retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γ (RORγ) as significantly downregulated in diabetic and aged kidneys. Tubule-specific RORγ deficiency exacerbates kidney injury, whereas its overexpression protects. Mechanistically, RORγ stabilizes insulin-induced gene 1 (INSIG1) by upregulating the deubiquitinase YOD1 and enhancing AMPK activity via CAB39, which together promote INSIG1 phosphorylation and subsequent stabilization. Stabilized INSIG1 potently blocks the ER-to-Golgi transport and activation of SREBP2 (cholesterol synthesis) and STING (inflammatory signaling). In diabetes, RORγ itself is suppressed transcriptionally by CTCF and functionally by impaired AMPK/SIRT1 signaling, which hinders its activation. Importantly, administration of a RORγ agonist or RORγ-enriched exosomes effectively alleviates diabetic kidney injury. Thus, RORγ emerges as a key regulatory node that mitigates DKD and renal aging by co-regulating AMPK-mediated metabolic and STING-driven innate immune pathways through INSIG1 stabilization.

Indexed as

AgingCholesterolDiabetic NephropathiesNuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3AnimalsHumansKidneyMembrane ProteinsMiceSignal TransductionCholesterolMembrane ProteinsNuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3

Identifiers

PMID41708627
PMCPMC13031971

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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.