Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42475242›Full record

ArticleHepatology communications2026

LECT2 deficiency contributes to bile acid metabolic reprogramming and cholestatic liver injury.

Wenbo Shi, Luze Cen, Jing Huang, Xinyi Lei, Ying Wang, Shan Wang, Jiayi Ying, Yuanyuan Li, Yuxia Ma, Yimeng Fang and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Hepatology communications, 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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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Wenbo ShiSchool of Public Health, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Luze CenSchool of Public Health, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.ORCID 0009-0003-4385-9827
Jing HuangDepartment of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
Xinyi LeiSchool of Public Health, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Ying WangZhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
Shan WangSchool of Public Health, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Jiayi YingSchool of Public Health, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Yuanyuan LiSchool of Public Health, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Yuxia MaSchool of Public Health, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Yimeng FangSchool of Public Health, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Aiming LiuZhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.ORCID 0000-0002-5937-6278
Caide LuDepartment of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
Manyun DaiSchool of Public Health, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.ORCID 0000-0002-7184-5129

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCholestatic liver injury involves impaired bile acid (BA) formation or flow, leading to toxic hepatic BA accumulation, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) has been implicated in liver metabolic disorders; however, its specific role in cholestasis remains incompletely understood.

methodsANIT was administered to wild-type (WT) and LECT2 knockout (KO) mice to establish an intrahepatic cholestasis model. Metabolomics and metagenomics were performed to discover the role of BA metabolism and the gut-liver axis in cholestatic liver injury. Clinical samples were analyzed to assess the relationship between LECT2 and cholestatic liver injury.

resultsLECT2 deletion was associated with altered BA synthesis, characterized by a shift toward the classical pathway with upregulation of CYP7A1 and CYP8B1. Under cholestatic conditions, LECT2 deficiency was associated with aggravated liver injury, accompanied by alterations in gut microbiota composition, changes in intestinal FXR-FGF15 signaling, and increased hepatic JNK activation. In KO mice, HDCA supplementation restored the alternative synthesis pathway, FMT reshaped gut microbiota, and antibiotic cocktail treatment suppressed intestinal FXR signaling, each of which was associated with improved cholestatic liver injury. In clinical samples, LECT2 levels were negatively correlated with markers of cholestasis, supporting its potential relevance to disease severity.

conclusionLECT2 deficiency is associated with aggravated cholestatic liver injury, which may involve altered BA synthesis, gut microbiota dysbiosis, and modulation of intestinal FXR-hepatic JNK signaling. These findings offer new insights into the role of LECT2 in regulating metabolism and identify potential therapeutic targets for managing cholestatic liver injury.

Indexed as

Bile Acids and SaltsCholestasisCholestasis, IntrahepaticIntercellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalFibroblast Growth FactorsGastrointestinal MicrobiomeHumansLiverMaleMetabolic ReprogrammingMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, KnockoutReceptor, Farnesoid X-ActivatedBile Acids and Saltsfibroblast growth factor 15, mouseFibroblast Growth FactorsIntercellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsLect2 protein, mouseReceptor, Farnesoid X-ActivatedReceptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclearbile acid homeostasisfarnesoid X receptor (FXR)gut–liver axisJNK signaling pathwayliver metabolism

Identifiers

PMID42475242
PMCPMC13671590

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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.