Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40319239›Full record

ArticleMolecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.)2025

Calpain1 inhibition enhances autophagy-lysosomal pathway and ameliorates tubulointerstitial fibrosis in Nephronophthisis.

Dantong Li, Jinglan Zhang, Xinyu Su, Yichen Yang, Jiayong Lai, Xiaoya Wei, Huamu Chen, Yaqing Liu, Haiyan Wang, Liangzhong Sun

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.), 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. Regulated cell death: a multidimensional regulatory network in the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis.Apoptosis : an international journal on programmed cell death · 2026
    Review
  2. Review
  3. Immunomodulatory Functions of Intercalated Cells in Kidney Autoimmunity.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025
    Article
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

10 authors.

Dantong Li *Department of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
Jinglan Zhang *Department of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
Xinyu Su *Department of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
Yichen YangDepartment of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
Jiayong LaiDepartment of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
Xiaoya WeiDepartment of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
Huamu ChenDepartment of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
Yaqing LiuDepartment of Pediatrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
Haiyan WangDepartment of Pediatrics, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China. wanghy78@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Liangzhong SunDepartment of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China. sunlzh2018@smu.edu.cn.

Funding

Guangdong Natural Science Foundation Grant No. 2020A1515010286 and 2022A1515012307Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Project 2025A04J4728Medical Scientific Research Foundation of Guangdong Province of China Grant No.2023119212359160National Natural Science Foundations of China Grant No. 81670610
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNephronophthisis (NPH) is classified under the category of renal ciliopathies and is the most common genetic disease leading to renal failure in children. Early-onset and progressive renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis represents one of the most significant features, culminating in renal insufficiency. However, the molecular mechanism of tubulointerstitial fibrosis remains unclear. Previously, we constructed an NPH mouse model via CRISPR-Cas9. This mouse model demonstrated typical features of tubulointerstitial fibrosis. In this study, we aimed to explore the pathogenesis of tubulointerstitial fibrosis in NPH and identify early intervention targets in both the NPH models and patients.

methodsIn this study, transcriptome changes in mouse kidneys were analyzed through RNA sequencing to explore the molecular mechanisms of renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in NPH. We found an increased abundance of calpain1 in both the NPH models and patients. Pathway enrichment analysis indicated autophagy-lysosomal pathway was altered in the NPH models. Western blot, immunofluorescence or immunohistochemical staining were used to verify the expression of calpain1. We also detected autophagy activities in NPH models by lysotracker staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Epithelial or mesenchymal-specific markers and Masson's trichrome staining were used to detect the status of tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Furthermore, NPH models were treated with a calpain1 inhibitor to explore the role of calpain1 in autophagy-lysosomal pathway and tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

resultsThe increased abundance of calpain1 impaired the autophagy-lysosomal pathway and induced tubulointerstitial fibrosis by promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. On the other hand, calpain1 inhibition could enhance the autophagy-lysosomal pathway and ameliorate the phenotypes of tubulointerstitial fibrosis in NPH models.

conclusionsCalpain1-mediated autophagy-lysosomal pathway disorder may be an important cause of tubulointerstitial fibrosis in NPH. Calpain1 may have therapeutic implications for renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

Indexed as

AutophagyCalpainKidney Diseases, CysticLysosomesAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalFibrosisHumansKidneyMaleMiceSignal TransductionCalpainCalpain1Inherited kidney diseaseNephronophthisisRenal ciliopathiesRenal tubulointerstitial fibrosis

Identifiers

PMID40319239
PMCPMC12049798

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.