MFAP2 promotes the progress of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by enhancing PTGS2 signaling.

Zidong Chu, Pengyu Pan, Shaoyan Qi, Sujuan Fang, Zhe Zhang, Zhenguo Cheng, Baisui Feng

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Journal of Cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) derived from MFAP2 promote CRC proliferation and metastasis while suppressing CD8Cell death & disease · 2026
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

7 authors.

Zidong ChuDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

Pengyu PanDepartment of Intensive Care Unit, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

Shaoyan QiDepartment of Intensive Care Unit, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

Sujuan FangNational Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, Sino-British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

Zhe ZhangDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

Zhenguo ChengNational Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, Sino-British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

Baisui FengDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies, accounting for over 85% of all esophageal cancers worldwide and over 90% in China. Due to the absence of effective early diagnostic tools and therapeutic approaches, the 5-year survival rate remains below 30%. Thus, it is crucial to further investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying ESCC. By analyzing differentially expressed genes in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and ESCC, we identified 127 genes that were significantly upregulated in ESCC and enriched in extracellular matrix organization. Notably, MFAP2 (microfibril associated protein 2), a matrix-related molecule with unclear function, was found to be highly expressed in ESCC in both the TCGA database and our RNA sequencing data. Its elevated levels were associated with cancer progression. Western blot, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry revealed that MFAP2 protein was highly expressed in ESCC and predominantly distributed in the extracellular matrix, cytoplasm, and partially in the nucleus.

Indexed as

esophageal adenocarcinomaesophageal squamous cell carcinomamacrophageMFAP2PTGS2

Identifiers

PMID40657371

DOI10.7150/jca.106659

PMCPMC12244031

What Socratic holds

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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.