Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42647644›Full record

ArticleScience advances2026

Metabolic control of smooth muscle cell phenotype switching in atherosclerosis.

Rong-Mo Zhang, Xiaolong Zhu, Hosung Bae, Jiasheng Zhang, Yanming Li, Pei-Yu Chen, Ying H Shen, George Tellides, Nathaniel Snyder, Cholsoon Jang and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Science advances, 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

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Rong-Mo ZhangYale University, New Haven, CT, USA.ORCID 0009-0001-9904-7540
Xiaolong ZhuYale University, New Haven, CT, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1894-8727
Hosung BaeUniversity of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-5848-7972
Jiasheng ZhangYale University, New Haven, CT, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4637-5655
Yanming LiBaylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8213-9166
Pei-Yu ChenYale University, New Haven, CT, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-5907-7959
Ying H ShenBaylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
George TellidesYale University, New Haven, CT, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7042-8190
Nathaniel SnyderTemple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-5643-8747
Cholsoon JangUniversity of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6651-4213
Martin A SchwartzYale University, New Haven, CT, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-2071-1243
Zoltan AranyUniversity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1368-2453
Michael SimonsYale University, New Haven, CT, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0348-7734

Funding

Endothelial-to-mesenchyma transition and atherosclerosisR01HL135582 · NHLBI · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI SCHWARTZ, MARTIN A, SIMONS, MICHAEL · 2017 to 2024
$6.6M
Acetate and Endothelial PathobiologyR01HL167014 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI Zoltan P Arany, Michael Simons · 2023 to 2026
$2.8M
NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL135582NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL167014
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The loss of smooth muscle cell (SMC) contractile phenotype contributes to various diseases including atherosclerosis. However, its metabolic basis is not entirely elucidated. Since the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signaling is among principal regulators of SMC contractility, we studied metabolic regulation of TGFβ signaling in SMCs in vitro and atherosclerotic mouse models and human lesions. We found that TGFβ induced Ac-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2)-dependent Ac-CoA production, by suppressing pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4). This stabilized R-SMADs and TGFβ receptor 1, preserving SMC contractile phenotype. SMC-specific PDK4 knockout mimicked the effect of TGFβ signaling both metabolically and phenotypically, increasing glucose-derived synthesis of Ac-CoA and SMC contractile phenotype. SMC-specific

Indexed as

AtherosclerosisMyocytes, Smooth MuscleAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalHumansMiceMice, KnockoutMuscle ContractionPhenotypePyruvate Dehydrogenase Acetyl-Transferring KinaseSignal TransductionTransforming Growth Factor betaPyruvate Dehydrogenase Acetyl-Transferring KinaseTransforming Growth Factor beta

Identifiers

PMID42647644
PMCPMC13510649

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.