Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41125877›Full record

ArticleNature immunology2025

Transcriptional and epigenetic targets of MEF2C in human microglia contribute to cellular functions related to autism risk and age-related disease.

Celina Nguyen, Emily H Broersma, Anna S Warden, Cristina Mora, Claudia Z Han, Zahara Keulen, Nathanael Spann, Jing Wang, Gabriela Ramirez, Samantha Mak and 11 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature immunology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing 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

9 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Quo Vadis translational neuroscience?Translational neuroscience · 2026
    Review
  8. Review
  9. 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

21 authors.

Celina Nguyen *Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4630-2541
Emily H Broersma *Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Anna S WardenDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Cristina MoraDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Claudia Z HanDepartment of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Zahara KeulenSanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Nathanael SpannDepartment of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Jing WangDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Gabriela RamirezDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Samantha MakDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Samantha TrescottDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Mohammadparsa KhakpourSchool of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Avalon JohnsonDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Fatir QureshiWhitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5115-3558
Michael R La FranoSalk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2269-1688
Kiana MohajeriCenter for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Michael E TalkowskiCenter for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Olivia CorradinWhitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Marie-Ève TremblaySchool of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2863-9626
Christopher K GlassDepartment of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. cglass@health.ucsd.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4344-3592
Nicole G CoufalDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. ncoufal@health.ucsd.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6547-1733

Funding

Viral Vector Core (VVC)P30CA014195 · NCI · SALK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL STUDIES · PI Alan Saghatelian · 1985 to 2026
$82.8M
San Diego Nathan Shock CenterP30AG068635 · NIA · SALK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL STUDIES · PI SHARPEE, TATYANA O. · 2020 to 2024
$6.0M
Mechanisms controlling human microglia gene expressionR01NS096170 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI GLASS, CHRISTOPHER K · 2016 to 2025
$4.3M
The Contribution of Microglial MEF2C to Brain DevelopmentR01NS124637 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI Nicole Gabriele Coufal · 2022 to 2026
$2.0M
Notice of Special Interest: Administrative Supplements to Promote Research Continuity and Retention of NIH Mentored Career Development (K) Award Recipients and ScholarsK08NS109200 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI COUFAL, NICOLE GABRIELE · 2018 to 2022
$1.1M
Illumina NovaSeq 6000 Sequencing SystemS10OD026929 · OD · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI JEPSEN, KRISTEN LYNN · 2019 to 2019
$600k
A Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap LC/MSS10OD021815 · OD · SALK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL STUDIES · PI SAGHATELIAN, ALAN · 2016 to 2016
$580k
Gene regulatory networks influencing neuron-microglia interactions in fetal brain development.K99MH129983 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI HAN, CLAUDIA Z · 2022 to 2023
$230k
The Role of Chromosome Y in Human Microglia and NeurodevelopmentF30HD112148 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI Celina Tien Nguyen · 2023 to 2026
$192k
Incucyte Zoom Live Cell Analysis SystemS10OD025060 · OD · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI WILLERT, KARL H · 2018 to 2018
$173k
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) EDUC2-08388Canada Foundation for Innovation (Fondation canadienne pour l'innovation) 39965NCI NIH HHS P30 CA014195NIA NIH HHS P30 AG068635NICHD NIH HHS F30 HD112148NIH HHS S10 OD021815NIH HHS S10 OD025060NIH HHS S10 OD026929NIMH NIH HHS K99 MH129983NINDS NIH HHS K08 NS109200NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS096170NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS124637U.S. Department of Defense (United States Department of Defense) AR230101U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH) K99MH129983U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH) NS096170U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH) NS124637
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

MEF2C encodes a transcription factor that is critical in nervous system development. Here, to examine disease-associated functions of MEF2C in human microglia, we profiled microglia differentiated from isogenic MEF2C-haploinsufficient and MEF2C-knockout induced pluripotent stem cell lines. Complementary transcriptomic and functional analyses revealed that loss of MEF2C led to a hyperinflammatory phenotype with broad phagocytic impairment, lipid accumulation, lysosomal dysfunction and elevated basal inflammatory cytokine secretion. Genome-wide profiling of MEF2C-bound sites coupled with the active regulatory landscape enabled inference of its transcriptional functions and potential mechanisms for MEF2C-associated cellular functions. Transcriptomic and epigenetic approaches identified substantial overlap with idiopathic autism datasets, suggesting a broader role of human microglial MEF2C dysregulation in idiopathic autism. In a mouse xenotransplantation model, loss of MEF2C led to morphological, lysosomal and lipid abnormalities in human microglia in vivo. Together, these studies reveal mechanisms by which reduced microglial MEF2C could contribute to the development of neurological diseases.

Indexed as

AgingAutistic DisorderEpigenesis, GeneticMEF2 Transcription FactorsMicrogliaAnimalsHumansInduced Pluripotent Stem CellsMiceTranscription, GeneticTranscriptomeMEF2C protein, humanMEF2 Transcription Factors

Identifiers

PMID41125877
PMCPMC12571900

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.