ArticleFrontiers in nutrition2026
Aspartame may promote erectile dysfunction via DPP4-mediated endothelial dysfunction and apoptosis: evidence from network toxicology, molecular dynamics simulation, and experimental validation.
Article in Frontiers in nutrition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Aspartame is one of the most widely used artificial sweeteners, but its potential adverse effects on male reproductive health remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to investigate the potential mechanisms by which aspartame may contribute to Erectile dysfunction (ED). Methods: Potential targets of aspartame were identified using SEA, SwissTargetPrediction, and TargetNet, while ED-related genes were collected from GeneCards. Overlapping genes were analyzed using protein-protein interaction, Gene Ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses. The GSE2457 dataset was used to identify differentially expressed genes, followed by LASSO regression and nomogram construction to screen key targets. Molecular dynamics simulation was performed to evaluate the stability of ligand-protein binding. Penile corpus cavernosum endothelial cells were then used for wound healing and western blot assays. Results: A total of 133 overlapping genes between aspartame and ED were identified, mainly enriched in vascular regulation, endothelial signaling, apoptosis, and PI3K-Akt/HIF-1-related pathways. Integrated analysis of GSE2457 identified 7 overlapping genes, among which DPP4, GLUL, and HRAS were selected as key genes, with DPP4 showing the strongest predictive value. Molecular dynamics simulation indicated stable binding between aspartame and DPP4. Conclusion: Aspartame may promote ED progression by inducing endothelial dysfunction and apoptosis, with DPP4 emerging as a potential key target.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.