Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41799764›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of medical sciences2026

Melatonin inhibits FAK signaling to suppress PD-L1 expression and enhance chemosensitivity in triple-negative breast cancer.

Cheng-Che Wu, Ping-Fu Yang, Shu-Jyuan Chang, Mei-Ren Pan, Chung-Liang Li, Chun-Chieh Wu, Jung-Yu Kan, Fang-Ming Chen, Ming-Feng Hou, Chi-Wen Luo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of medical sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

10 authors.

Cheng-Che WuDivision of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Ping-Fu YangDivision of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Shu-Jyuan ChangGraduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Mei-Ren PanDrug Development and Value Creation Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chung-Liang LiDivision of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chun-Chieh WuDepartment of Pathology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Jung-Yu KanDivision of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Fang-Ming ChenDivision of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Ming-Feng HouDivision of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chi-Wen LuoDivision of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype lacking targetable hormone receptors, making conventional chemotherapy the primary treatment option, despite its associated toxicity and potential for drug resistance. Melatonin, a natural hormone with anticancer and immunomodulatory properties, has shown promise in multiple cancers; however, its role in TNBC remains unclear. Methods: We analyzed serum melatonin levels in TNBC patients and healthy controls. The biological effects of melatonin were then evaluated in human (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468) and murine (4T1) TNBC cell lines. Results: We found that TNBC patients had significantly lower serum melatonin levels than healthy controls. Conclusions: Melatonin suppresses TNBC progression by inhibiting proliferation and migration and by modulating the immune microenvironment through the FAK-PD-L1 axis. These findings highlight melatonin as a potential low-toxicity adjunct to enhance the efficacy of current TNBC therapies.

Indexed as

B7-H1 AntigenFocal Adhesion Kinase 1MelatoninTriple Negative Breast NeoplasmsAnimalsApoptosisCell Line, TumorCell MovementCell ProliferationCisplatinDrug Resistance, NeoplasmEpithelial-Mesenchymal TransitionFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMDA-MB-231 CellsB7-H1 AntigenCD274 protein, humanCisplatinFocal Adhesion Kinase 1MelatoninPTK2 protein, humanfocal adhesion kinase (FAK)immune modulationmelatoninprogrammed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)Triple-negative breast cancer

Identifiers

PMID41799764
PMCPMC12964572

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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.