ArticleNaunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology2026
Misidentification of SMMC-7721 undermines its use as a hepatocellular carcinoma model.
Article in Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology, 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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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.
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1 author.
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Abstract
SMMC-7721 has long been used as a presumed human hepatocellular carcinoma model, but authentication studies have shown that it is HeLa-derived rather than a genuine liver cancer cell line. This short communication discusses the consequences of using SMMC-7721 as an HCC model in a recent study on quercetin-induced immunogenic cell death and cGAS-STING pathway activation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Because data generated in SMMC-7721 reflect a HeLa-derived cellular background, conclusions regarding anti-HCC activity, liver-cancer-specific mechanisms, compound selectivity, and therapeutic relevance require qualification or reassessment in authenticated hepatocellular carcinoma models. The commentary emphasizes the importance of cell-line authentication, appropriate model selection, and transparent reporting to ensure reliability and reproducibility in preclinical liver cancer research.
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Registered trials
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