Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40549065›Full record

ArticleDiscover oncology2025

The effect of chloroquine on cervical cancer via the PI3K/AKT/MDM2 pathway.

Dandan Xu, Chenyang Hou, Jianliang Chang, Shuaibo Yang, Zhicong Yang, Zelong Yuan, Jingqi Li, Shuqin Liu, Yaqun Liu, Yingpeng Su and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Discover oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. 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

12 authors.

Dandan XuCentral Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou City, 075000, Hebei Province, China.
Chenyang HouGraduate School of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou City, 075000, Hebei Province, China.
Jianliang ChangGraduate School of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou City, 075000, Hebei Province, China.
Shuaibo YangGraduate School of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou City, 075000, Hebei Province, China.
Zhicong YangCentral Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou City, 075000, Hebei Province, China.
Zelong YuanInterventional Depatrment, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou City, 075000, Hebei Province, China.
Jingqi LiCentral Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou City, 075000, Hebei Province, China.
Shuqin LiuDepartment of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou City, 075000, Hebei Province, China.
Yaqun LiuCentral Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou City, 075000, Hebei Province, China.
Yingpeng SuCentral Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou City, 075000, Hebei Province, China.
Peng GaoDepartment of Gynaecology, Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Jinan, 250000, Shandong Province, China.
Xiaojuan LiuDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated North University, Zhangjikou, 075000, China. xiaojuanliu2023@126.com.

Funding

Central Guided Local Science and Technology Development Fund Project 236Z7714GHebei Health Commission Scientific Research Foundation Project 20240240Hebei Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Project 2022147Hebei Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Project 2024062
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCervical cancer (CC), the most prevalent malignant tumor in the female reproductive system, is characterized by its high incidence and mortality rates. Chloroquine(CQ), a 4-aminoquinoline drug originally used to prevent and treat malaria, has gained recognition as an adjuvant anti-cancer agent. However, whether chloroquine exhibits anti-CC activity and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate chloroquine's anti-cancer effects, focusing on the PI3K/AKT/MDM2 pathway, by integrating network pharmacology and in vitro experiments.

methodsFirstly, CQ and its associated targets related to cervical cancer were identified using the PharmMapper, SwissTargetPrediction, DrugBank, GeneCards, and DisGeNET databases. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to screen for key targets. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were conducted to predict the underlying biological functions and mechanisms involved in the anti-colorectal cancer effects of CQ. Subsequently, CCK-8, colony formation, and wound-healing assays were performed to assess the impact of CQ treatment on the proliferation ability of HeLa cells. Cell apoptosis was analyzed using flow cytometry, and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins was determined through Western blotting. Finally, the effects of CQ on the PI3K/AKT/MDM2 signaling pathway were evaluated via Western blotting.

resultsA total of 7,846 potential treatment targets for CQ were identified, among which 126 were related to CC. Through PPI network analysis of 100 common targets, eight core targets were identified: TNF, MDM2, SLC6A4, GRIN1, CHRM1, EZH2, ACHE, and ADRB2. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway as a central pathway of interest. Various concentrations of CQ (25, 50, and 75 µM) inhibited the viability of HeLa cells while showing no significant effect on H8 cells. Following treatment with CQ (25 µM and 75 µM), a reduction in proliferation and colony formation was observed in HeLa cells. Furthermore, CQ treatment led to an increase in the expression of apoptosis-related proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved-PARP) and a decrease in the expression of proteins associated with the PI3K/AKT/MDM2 signaling pathway (p-PI3K, p-AKT, and p-MDM2).

conclusionsThis study suggests that chloroquine may induce apoptosis by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/MDM2 signalling pathway.

Indexed as

ApoptosisCervical CancerChloroquineMDM2PI3K/AKT

Identifiers

PMID40549065
PMCPMC12185827

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.