Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41828435›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of molecular sciences2026

Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 Mediates Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition to Promote Liver Fibrosis Through E-cadherin/β-catenin Pathway in Biliary Atresia.

Liying Rong, Jingfeng Tang, Xiangyang Li, Mengxin Zhang, Shuiqing Chi, Yun Zhou, Xi Zhang, Guoqing Cao, Yibo Li, Shaotao Tang

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of molecular sciences, 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

10 authors.

Liying RongDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
Jingfeng TangDepartment of Traumatology and Emergency Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
Xiangyang LiDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
Mengxin ZhangDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
Shuiqing ChiDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
Yun ZhouDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
Xi ZhangDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
Guoqing CaoDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
Yibo LiDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
Shaotao TangDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.ORCID 0000-0002-1851-0610

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82000535National Natural Science Foundation of China 82071689National Natural Science Foundation of China 82371718
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Biliary atresia (BA) is characterized by rapidly progressive hepatic fibrosis with unclear mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate the role of matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7) in this process and its potential for targeted therapy. Serum and liver tissue samples from BA patients were collected to analyze the correlation between MMP7 and liver fibrosis. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) based on GEO datasets was performed to explore MMP7-associated biological processes. Clinical samples were further used to examine the relationship between MMP7 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in biliary epithelial cells (BECs). The effects of MMP7 on BECs and the underlying mechanisms were validated in vitro. Finally, the profibrotic effects and therapeutic potential of MMP7 were explored in chronic BA mice. Results showed that MMP7 was positively correlated with liver fibrosis in BA patients. GSEA revealed that MMP7 was most significantly associated with EMT, which was further validated by EMT scoring in intrahepatic BECs of patients. In vitro, MMP7 induced EMT in BECs by cleaving E-cadherin and promoting β-catenin nuclear translocation. Blockade of MMP7 alleviated EMT and liver fibrosis in BA mice. In conclusion, MMP7 promotes liver fibrosis in BA by driving EMT via the E-cadherin/β-catenin pathway, and targeting MMP7 demonstrates anti-fibrotic effects.

Indexed as

Antigens, CDbeta CateninBiliary AtresiaCadherinsEpithelial-Mesenchymal TransitionLiver CirrhosisMatrix Metalloproteinase 7AnimalsDisease Models, AnimalEpithelial CellsFemaleHumansMaleMiceSignal TransductionAntigens, CDbeta CateninCadherinsMatrix Metalloproteinase 7MMP7 protein, humanbiliary atresiachronic biliary atresia modelepithelial–mesenchymal transformationliver fibrosismatrix metalloproteinase-7

Identifiers

PMID41828435
PMCPMC12986156

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Registered trials

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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.