Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39706687›Full record

ArticleCancer biology & therapy2025

Knockdown of NDUFAF6 inhibits breast cancer progression via promoting mitophagy and apoptosis.

Shang Wu, Xindi Ma, Xiangmei Zhang, Kaiye Du, Chao Shi, Ahmed Ali Almaamari, Boye Han, Suwen Su, Yunjiang Liu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer biology & therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Translational cancer research · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
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

9 authors.

Shang WuDepartment of Breast Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
Xindi MaDepartment of Breast Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
Xiangmei ZhangHebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Drug Resistance, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Kaiye DuHebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Drug Resistance, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Chao ShiDepartment of Breast Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
Ahmed Ali AlmaamariThe Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology, The Key Laboratory of New Drug Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Boye HanThe Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology, The Key Laboratory of New Drug Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Suwen SuThe Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology, The Key Laboratory of New Drug Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Yunjiang LiuHebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Drug Resistance, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.ORCID 0000-0001-7202-2004

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhile NDUFAF6 is implicated in breast cancer, its specific role remains unclear.

methodsThe expression levels and prognostic significance of NDUFAF6 in breast cancer were assessed using The Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus, Kaplan-Meier plotter and cBio-Portal databases. We knocked down NDUFAF6 in breast cancer cells using small interfering RNA and investigated its effects on cell proliferation and migration ability. We performed gene expression analysis and validated key findings using protein analysis. We also assessed mitochondrial activity and cellular metabolism.

resultsNDUFAF6 was highly expressed in breast cancer, which was associated with a poorer prognosis. Knockdown of NDUFAF6 reduced the proliferation and migration ability of breast cancer cells. Transcriptome analysis revealed 2,101 differentially expressed genes enriched in apoptosis and mitochondrial signaling pathways. Western blot results showed NDUFAF6 knockdown enhanced apoptosis. In addition, differential gene enrichment analysis was related to mitochondrial signaling pathways, and western blot results verified that mitophagy was enhanced in NDUFAF6 knockdown breast cancer cells. JC-1 assay also showed that mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species content were increased after knocking down NDUFAF6. In addition, basal and maximal mitochondrial oxygen consumption decreased, and intracellular glycogen content increased.

conclusionsKnockdown of NDUFAF6 resulted in apoptosis and mitophagy in breast cancer cells and NDUFAF6 may be a potential molecular target for breast cancer therapy.

Indexed as

ApoptosisBreast NeoplasmsMitophagyCell Line, TumorCell MovementCell ProliferationDisease ProgressionFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticGene Knockdown TechniquesHumansMitochondriaPrognosisapoptosisBreast cancermitophagyNDUFAF6prognosis

Identifiers

PMID39706687
PMCPMC11702941

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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 Socratic graph.