Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41792118›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

Dynamic transcriptomic remodeling in grafted human neural progenitor cells uncovers mechanisms for vision preservation in a rat model of retinitis pigmentosa.

Saba Shahin, Shaughn Bell, Bin Lu, Somanshu Banerjee, Vivek Swarup, Hui Xu, Jason Chetsawang, Stephany Ramirez, Jorge S Alfaro, Alexander Laperle and 3 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
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. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

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

13 authors.

Saba ShahinBoard of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0576-9383
Shaughn BellBoard of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3621-636X
Bin LuBoard of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Somanshu BanerjeeDepartment of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Vivek SwarupDepartment of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3762-2746
Hui XuBoard of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Jason ChetsawangBoard of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Stephany RamirezBoard of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Jorge S AlfaroBoard of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Alexander LaperleBoard of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1983-5844
Soshana SvendsenBoard of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Clive N SvendsenBoard of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Clive.Svendsen@cshs.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8696-3446
Shaomei WangBoard of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Shaomei.Wang@cshs.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4605-8166

Funding

California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) EDUC-0833 &12638California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) LSP1-08235
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) show promise in slowing retinal degeneration and are currently being tested in clinical trials for retinitis pigmentosa (RP). However, the long-term fate of grafted hNPCs and their interaction with host retinal cells remain unclear. Here, we used single-cell transcriptomics to investigate temporal gene expression changes in grafted hNPCs and host retinal cells following subretinal injection into a rodent model of RP, revealing dynamic transcriptomic changes in the degenerative retinal environment. Grafted hNPCs primarily differentiate into an astroglial phenotype and mature over time, contributing to photoreceptor protection through trophic factor secretion, metabolic modulation, suppression of apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation, alongside extracellular matrix remodeling. CellChat analysis revealed a decline in intercellular signaling and communication strength over time, correlating with weakened hNPC-host interactions. These findings suggest that enhancing trophic factor support, particularly MANF, and improving the host retinal environment are critical for sustaining long-term vision preservation.

Indexed as

Neural Stem CellsRetinitis PigmentosaTranscriptomeVision, OcularAnimalsApoptosisCell DifferentiationDisease Models, AnimalHumansOxidative StressRatsRetinaSingle-Cell Gene Expression AnalysisStem Cell Transplantation

Identifiers

PMID41792118
PMCPMC12966429

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.