Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42277880›Full record

ArticleJournal of translational medicine2026

Dihydrotanshinone I as a novel signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 inhibitor for glioblastoma treatment.

Kai-Wen Cheng, Shao-Jun Zhou, Jie Zeng, Yang-Rui Zhang, Bing-Qian Jin, Ping Wang, Ling-Yan He, Xu-Chen Qi, Xu-Dong Liu, Lu-Shan Yu and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of translational medicine, 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

11 authors.

Kai-Wen Cheng *Department of Medical Research Center, Shaoxing People's Hospital, School of Medicine, ShaoXing University, Shaoxing, 312000, China.
Shao-Jun Zhou *Institute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
Jie Zeng *Department of Neurology, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing, 312000, China.
Yang-Rui ZhangInstitute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
Bing-Qian JinSchool of Medicine, ShaoXing University, Shaoxing, 312000, China.
Ping WangDepartment of Blood Transfusion, Shaoxing People's Hospital (Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine), Shaoxing, 312000, China.
Ling-Yan HeDepartment of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Zhejiang University Shaoxing Hospital, Shaoxing, China.
Xu-Chen QiDepartment of Neurosurgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310024, China.
Xu-Dong LiuBioengineering College of Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, China. liuxubio@126.com.
Lu-Shan YuInstitute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China. yuls@zju.edu.cn.
Yan-Xing ZhangDepartment of Neurology, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing, 312000, China. auwxf01@163.com.

Funding

Medical Science and Technology Project of Zhejiang Province 2025KY381Medical Science and Technology Project of Zhejiang Province 2026HY1286Shaoxing Bureau of Science and Technology 2023A14023Shaoxing Bureau of Science and Technology 2024A14017
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAmong tumors affecting the central nervous system (CNS), glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive and lethal form. Given the complex mechanisms of the CNS and the blood-brain barrier (BBB), effective therapies for GBM remain limited. To identify potential therapeutic candidates for glioma, we developed a small-molecule library to screen for compounds with potent anti-proliferative effects and BBB permeability. The mechanisms underlying their anti-glioma activity were further elucidated to provide insights into new treatment strategies.

methodsA library of small molecules was screened to identify agents that significantly inhibit glioma cells activity. The effects of the lead compound (Dihydrotanshinone I, DHT) on glioma progression were evaluated through a series of experimental approaches, including cell counting kit-8 assays, cell cycle analysis, apoptosis detection, wound healing, transwell migration, reactive oxygen measurement, subcutaneous xenograft mouse models, and intracranial orthotopic tumor models. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, network pharmacology and transcriptomic analyses were employed. The mechanism of DHT in glioma pathogenesis was further validated using bioinformatics analyses and clinical glioma tissue samples.

resultsBased on pharmacokinetic evaluation, DHT was found to traverse the BBB, indicating its capacity to reach the cerebral parench. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that DHT significantly suppresses glioma growth and progression. Mechanistic analyses using network pharmacology and RNA sequencing revealed that DHT induces glioma cell apoptosis by inhibiting the Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway, increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and triggering intrinsic apoptotic cascades. Furthermore, bioinformatic analyses of clinical cohorts coupled with validation in patient-derived glioma specimens confirmed that elevated STAT3 expression was correlated with unfavorable prognosis and was significantly increased in patients with high-grade glioma.

conclusionsThis study demonstrates that, in addition to its role as a key contributor to glioma malignancy and a prognostic marker, STAT3 is also a target of DHT, highlighting its potential as a promising therapeutic candidate for treating GBM.

Indexed as

Brain NeoplasmsGlioblastomaPhenanthrenesSTAT3 Transcription FactorAnimalsApoptosisBlood-Brain BarrierCell Line, TumorCell MovementCell ProliferationFuransGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMaleMice, NudeNetwork Pharmacologydihydrotanshinone IFuransPhenanthrenesQuinonesReactive Oxygen SpeciesSTAT3 protein, humanSTAT3 Transcription FactorApoptosisBlood-brain barrierDihydrotanshinone IGlioblastoma multiforme

Identifiers

PMID42277880
PMCPMC13465433

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

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.