Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41834947›Full record

ArticlePNAS nexus2026

Spatially resolved multiplex protein profiling reveals DNA methylation-dependent microenvironmental remodeling in liver fibrosis.

Jiaxun Li, Nicholas Zhang, Sriya Sirigireddy, Lakshana Ramanan, Dakshin Vijay, Manoj Thapa, Arash Grakoui, Ahmet F Coskun

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PNAS nexus, 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

8 authors.

Jiaxun LiWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
Nicholas ZhangWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5078-4403
Sriya SirigireddyWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3801-5810
Lakshana RamananWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9545-8289
Dakshin VijayWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9698-2891
Manoj ThapaDivision of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6206-2958
Arash GrakouiDivision of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6002-7518
Ahmet F CoskunWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5797-1524

Funding

Dissecting subcellular and cellular organization by spatial molecular neighborhood networksR35GM151028 · NIGMS · GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · PI Ahmet F. Coskun · 2023 to 2026
$1.5M
Spatial protein-protein interaction networks in situ by multiplexed proximity ligationR33CA291197 · NCI · GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · PI Ahmet F. Coskun · 2024 to 2026
$1.1M
NCI NIH HHS R33 CA291197NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM151028
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Liver fibrosis is a significant health concern that affects ∼300 million people globally, characterized by the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components in the liver. A major contributor to liver fibrosis is fatty liver disease, which can progress to steatohepatitis when the accumulation of fat in the liver causes inflammation, cell death, and scarring. Long-standing steatohepatitis leads to liver fibrosis as scar tissue builds up and replaces healthy liver tissue, potentially progressing to life-threatening conditions, such as cirrhosis, liver failure, or hepatocellular carcinoma. DNA methylation plays a critical role in the progression of fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis by altering gene expression without modifying the DNA sequence. The integration of spatial analysis with protein profiling enhances our ability to explore the spatial organization of cellular interactions and protein expression in liver diseases, fostering a deeper understanding of the disease mechanisms. Multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) imaging was performed to understand the spatial organization of 10 molecular targets and the cellular interaction between them across four distinct liver tissue types: wild-type (WT) regular, WT high-fat, fibrosis regular, and fibrosis high-fat. Notably, fibrotic high-fat samples displayed increased pan-cytokeratin and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression, suggesting diet-aggravated injury and inflammation. Our findings highlight the interplay between epigenetic regulation, ECM remodeling, and cellular crosstalk in liver fibrosis. The spatial profiling approach provides insights into microenvironmental changes, revealing how DNA methylation influences protein localization and fibrotic progression. These results underscore the potential of spatial omics in elucidating disease mechanisms and guiding targeted therapies for metabolic liver disorders.

Indexed as

DNA methylationliver fibrosismultiplexed imagingspatial omics

Identifiers

PMID41834947
PMCPMC12988774

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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.