Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42098854›Full record

ArticleBiology direct2026

A pyroptosis-related molecular signature stratifies prognosis and highlights GSDMB-mediated malignancy in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Binhan Zhao, Yongji Zhu, Ziyang Jin, Xiang Li, Kainan Lin, Yifan Wang, Yunkun Lu, Wen Hua

Abstract read
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Article in Biology direct, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Binhan Zhao *Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
Yongji Zhu *Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
Ziyang JinDepartment of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
Xiang LiDepartment of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
Kainan LinDepartment of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
Yifan WangDepartment of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China. anwyf@zju.edu.cn.
Yunkun LuDepartment of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China. kevenloo1@zju.edu.cn.
Wen HuaDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China. huawen@zju.edu.cn.

Funding

Leading Project for Leading Geese Plan of Zhejiang Provincial, China Grant No. 2025C02062
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPyroptosis, a form of inflammatory programmed cell death, plays a dual role in tumor progression and anti-tumor immunity. Its comprehensive clinical and biological significance in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) remains to be elucidated.

methodsUtilizing bulk transcriptome, single-cell transcriptome, proteome, phosphoproteome, spatial transcriptomic profiling and genomic mutation data, we first identified three distinct iCCA molecular subtypes based on the expression patterns of prognostic pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs). Subsequently, we developed and validated an eight-PRG (CASP3, TIRAP, GPX4, NOD2, GSDMB, GSDMC, CASP9, IL6) prognostic signature using regression analyses. The tumor immune microenvironment was characterized, and metabolic pathways were analyzed. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of 165,236 cells from iCCA tissues was performed to investigate cellular communication. Spatial transcriptomic profiling was used to visualize cell distribution. In vitro functional assays, including TGF-β treatment, GSDMB and CDH3 knockdown, were conducted to validate mechanistic insights.

resultsThe eight-PRG signature effectively stratified iCCA patients into high- and low-risk groups with significant survival differences. The high-risk subtype correlated with aggressive clinicopathological features, an immunosuppressive microenvironment, and dysregulated metabolism. scRNA-seq analysis revealed malignant epithelial cells expressing GSDMB showed heightened responsiveness to TGF-β signaling. Functional studies demonstrated that GSDMB knockdown inhibited iCCA cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, potentially through downregulation of CDH3. Further mechanistic studies validated that TGF-β promotes CDH3 transcription in a GSDMB-dependent manner. GSDMB knockdown reduced basal CDH3 expression and abolished TGF-β-induced CDH3 upregulation at both mRNA and protein levels.

conclusionsWe established a novel and clinically applicable pyroptosis-based classifier for iCCA prognosis. Our findings hint at a possible connection of the TGF-β-GSDMB-CDH3 axis with enhanced tumor aggressiveness, providing new insights for patient risk stratification and revealing potential therapeutic targets for iCCA.

Indexed as

Bile Duct NeoplasmsCholangiocarcinomaPyroptosisGasderminsGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansPrognosisTumor MicroenvironmentGasderminsGSDMB protein, humanGSDMBIntrahepatic cholangiocarcinomaPrognostic modelPyroptosisSingle-cell RNA sequencingTGF-βTumor microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID42098854
PMCPMC13322106

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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.