Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40707969›Full record

ArticleJournal of translational medicine2025

EphrinB2 alleviates tubulointerstitial fibrosis in diabetic kidney disease.

Lihua Ni, Qiuyuan Zhou, Xueyun Gao, Feng Chen, Ayinigaer Yusufu, Jin-Hu Chen, Cheng Yuan, Xiaoyan Wu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of translational medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  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

8 authors.

Lihua Ni *Department of Nephrology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
Qiuyuan Zhou *Department of Nephrology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
Xueyun Gao *Department of Nephrology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
Feng ChenDepartment of Nephrology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
Ayinigaer YusufuDepartment of Nephrology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
Jin-Hu ChenDepartment of Nephrology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
Cheng YuanDepartment of Oncology, Yichang Central People's Hospital and The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443000, Hubei, China. yuancheng_89@whu.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-0226-614X
Xiaoyan WuDepartment of Nephrology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China. wuxiaoyan_kid@163.com.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82100763National Natural Science Foundation of China 82200807National Natural Science Foundation of China 82370696
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDiabetic kidney disease (DKD) is characterized by progressive fibrosis, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction, contributing to renal dysfunction. EphrinB2, a cell surface protein, has been implicated in tissue repair and fibrosis, but its role in DKD remains poorly understood. This study investigates the impact of EphrinB2 expression on renal fibrosis, mitochondrial dynamics, and cellular signaling pathways in DKD.

methodsEphrinB2 expression and function were investigated in renal tissues from DKD patients, STZ-induced diabetic mice, and HG-treated HK-2 cells. EphrinB2 overexpression was achieved using AAV in vivo and lentiviral vectors in vitro. Functional assessments included histological and biochemical evaluations, while mechanistic studies utilized siRNA knockdown, pathway-specific inhibitors and activators, and co-immunoprecipitation to explore the role of the Epac1-Rap1 signaling pathway in EphrinB2-mediated antifibrotic and mitochondrial protective effects.

resultsEphrinB2 expression was significantly downregulated in the kidneys of DKD patients and STZ-induced diabetic mice, correlating with increased fibrosis and tubular injury. Overexpression of EphrinB2 (EphrinB2-OE) in diabetic mice restored renal function, reduced fibrosis, alleviated oxidative stress, and preserved mitochondrial structure. In HK-2 cells, EphrinB2-OE mitigated HG-induced fibrosis, reduced ROS levels, and restored MMP and ATP production. Mechanistically, EphrinB2-OE enhanced the Epac1-Rap1 pathway, stabilizing Epac1 protein and promoting mitochondrial biogenesis via PGC-1α. Additionally, EphrinB2-OE modulated the E-cadherin/β-catenin complex and preventing β-catenin nuclear translocation, and preserving epithelial integrity and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

conclusionsEphrinB2 exerts protective effects against renal fibrosis and dysfunction in diabetic conditions by regulating fibrosis pathways, mitochondrial dynamics, and epithelial stability. Targeting EphrinB2 signaling presents a promising therapeutic strategy for diabetic kidney disease.

Indexed as

Diabetic NephropathiesEphrin-B2Kidney TubulesAnimalsCell LineDiabetes Mellitus, ExperimentalEpithelial-Mesenchymal TransitionFibrosisGuanine Nucleotide Exchange FactorsHumansMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMitochondriaOxidative StressSignal TransductionEphrin-B2Guanine Nucleotide Exchange FactorsDiabetic kidney disease (DKD)Epac1-Rap1 signalingEphrinB2Mitochondrial dynamicsOxidative stressRenal fibrosisβ-catenin

Identifiers

PMID40707969
PMCPMC12291390

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.