Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42244548›Full record

ArticlebioRxiv : the preprint server for biology2026

An LSEC-focused computational drug repurposing platform for liver fibrosis: Identification of vorinostat and other LSEC-protective candidates.

Rui Zuo, Mi Wang, Yun-Ting Wang, Jenny Z Hu, Alexandra K Moura, Dan Wang, Pin-Lan Li, Mingfu Wu, Tahir Hussain, Wei Gao and 2 more

Abstract readPreprint
In one paragraph

Article in bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 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

12 authors.

Rui ZuoDepartment of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID 0009-0001-1589-345X
Mi WangDepartment of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
Yun-Ting WangDepartment of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
Jenny Z HuDepartment of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
Alexandra K MouraDepartment of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
Dan WangDepartment of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
Pin-Lan LiDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA.
Mingfu WuDepartment of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0155-2328
Tahir HussainDepartment of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
Wei GaoDepartment of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
Xiang LiDepartment of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
Yang ZhangDepartment of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8338-3013

Funding

Lysosome Trafficking Dysregulation of Arterial Myocytes in AtherogenesisR01HL122937 · NHLBI · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · PI LI, PINLAN, ZHANG, YANG · 2014 to 2024
$4.0M
Enhancer of zeste homolog 2-mediated epigenetic activation of acid sphingomyelinase in endothelial dysfunction during obesityR01HL150007 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON · PI LI, XIANG · 2020 to 2024
$2.2M
NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL122937NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL150007
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) are increasingly recognized as a critical yet underexplored cell type in anti-fibrotic drug development. This study presents a computational drug screening platform integrating LSEC-specific transcriptomic analysis across simple steatosis, fibrotic nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and cirrhosis, with tiered gene signature selection combining machine learning, large language model-assisted curation, gene safety assessment, and Connectivity Map-based screening using human endothelial perturbational profiles. The platform identifies 6 clinical-stage and 8 preclinical candidates with LSEC-protective potential. Among these, vorinostat (SAHA), a clinically approved histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, is selected for experimental validation. In hepatocyte-specific Asah1-deficient mice fed a Paigen diet, SAHA attenuates hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, LSEC dysfunction, and portal hemodynamic abnormalities, with effects confirmed in a hepatotoxin (CCl

Indexed as

Computational Drug ScreeningDrug RepurposingHepatocyte-to-LSEC crosstalkLiver FibrosisLiver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells (LSECs)Vorinostat

Identifiers

PMID42244548
PMCPMC13232290

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.