Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41252148›Full record

ArticleProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America2025

The liver talks back: NPY orchestrates attraction of cancer cells and CHK2-dependent clonogenicity in the metastatic niche.

Laura Wormser, Valerie Fritz, Melanie Kappelmann-Fenzl, Nicole Rachinger, Pol Escudé, Karin Enderle, Matthias D Kaufmann, Miriam Düll, Abdo Mahli, Sebastian Zundler and 28 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 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.

  1. 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

38 authors.

Laura WormserInstitute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-3872-7104
Valerie FritzInstitute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Melanie Kappelmann-FenzlInstitute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-0312-1687
Nicole RachingerInstitute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-5041-2084
Pol EscudéCentral Diagnostic Laboratory Research, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht 3608 TC, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-0366-9124
Karin EnderleDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Matthias D KaufmannInstitute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Miriam DüllDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Abdo MahliInstitute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Sebastian ZundlerDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Moritz LeppkesDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-2311-090X
Stefan FischerFaculty of Computer Science, Deggendorf Institute of Technology, Deggendorf 94469, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-9399-7078
Felix ElsnerInstitute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.ORCID 0009-0004-9010-7668
Carol-Immanuel GeppertInstitute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Michael HannusBiochemistry Center Regensburg, Laboratory for RNA Biology, University of Regensburg, siTools Biotech GmbH, Martinsried/Planegg 93053, Germany.ORCID 0009-0000-8681-3181
Susanne MerkelDepartment of Surgery, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Michael ErdmannDepartment of Dermatology, Uniklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich Alexander University, Erlangen 91054, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-7136-6489
Claudia GüntherDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Katja EvertInstitute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg 91054, Germany.
Zubeir El AhmadFaculty of Computer Science, Deggendorf Institute of Technology, Deggendorf 94469, Germany.ORCID 0009-0005-6904-0208
Gunter MeisterBiochemistry Center Regensburg, Laboratory for RNA Biology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany.
Elisabetta D'AvanzoDepartment of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Marc P StemmlerDepartment of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-7866-3686
Clemens NeufertDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Andreas E KremerDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Zürich, University of Zürich, Zürich 8008, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-9263-948X
Georg F WeberDeutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Thomas BrabletzComprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-European Metropolitan Region Nuremberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-2983-9048
Stephan von HörstenDeutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen 91054, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-6409-0664
Reiner WiestDepartment of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University Inselspital, Bern 3010, Switzerland.
Raymond SchiffelersCentral Diagnostic Laboratory Research, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht 3608 TC, The Netherlands.
Arndt HartmannDeutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Jürgen SieblerDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Jonel TrebickaDepartment of Internal Medicine B, University of Münster, Münster 48149, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-7028-3881
Maximilian WaldnerDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Markus F NeurathDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
Claus HellerbrandInstitute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-9472-4461
Anja K BosserhoffInstitute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8147-394X
Peter DietrichInstitute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-2289-8600

Funding

Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) iMMUNE-ACSBZKF BZKF-SG-LEB-CCC/HCCDeutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) DI2330/2.1Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) SFB/TRR 305Deutsche Gesellschaft für Innere Medizin DGIMDeutsche Krebshilfe (German Cancer Aid) 70115020)Deutsche Krebshilfe (German Cancer Aid) 70115508; 70115299Else-Kröner-Fresenius Stiftung EKFSInterdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF) D040Wilhelm-Sander-Stiftung 2020.048.2Wilhelm-Sander-Stiftung 2021.146.1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics represent breakthrough discoveries, but their use in cancer remains limited due to hepatocyte-specific targeting. Cancer metastasis is regulated by complex crosstalk between tumor cells and niche-derived factors. However, the molecular mechanisms enabling metastatic seeding and outgrowth in the liver remain incompletely understood, representing a major clinical challenge. We identified neuropeptide Y (NPY) as a promotor of liver metastasis. Hepatocyte-derived NPY attracts metastatic tumor cells to the liver niche. Subsequent microenvironment activation induces TGFβ, promoting a vicious cycle of perimetastatic NPY secretion and liver metastasis. Concomitantly, cancer cells upregulate the NPY-5 receptor (Y5R) which is correlated with liver metastasis. NPY-Y5R crosstalk drives chemotactic migration via cAMP and ERK signaling. Moreover, NPY-Y5R activation dephosphorylates checkpoint kinase 2 to promote clonogenicity and proliferation of cancer cells. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are a promising drug delivery vehicle for siRNAs. LNPs carrying siRNA pools targeting NPY were designed, and preclinical studies provided evidence for efficacy for the treatment of liver metastasis. Our findings transform the limitation of hepatocyte specificity of RNA interference into a therapeutic advantage, introducing a paradigm for the treatment of hepatic metastases.

Indexed as

Checkpoint Kinase 2LiverLiver NeoplasmsNeuropeptide YAnimalsCell Line, TumorCell ProliferationHepatocytesHumansMiceNeoplasm MetastasisReceptors, Neuropeptide YRNA, Small InterferingTumor MicroenvironmentCheckpoint Kinase 2Neuropeptide Yneuropeptide Y5 receptorReceptors, Neuropeptide YRNA, Small Interferingcancerliver metastasismetastasismetastatic nicheNPY

Identifiers

PMID41252148
PMCPMC12663930

What Socratic holds

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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.