Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41362727›Full record

ReviewInternational journal of biological sciences2026

Mechanical Microenvironment in Tumor Immune Evasion: Bidirectional Regulation Between Matrix Stiffness and Immune Cells and Its Therapeutic Implications.

Jing Ai, Huayao Li, Minpu Zhang, Jingyang Liu, Lijuan Liu, Changgang Sun

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in International journal of biological sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing 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

13 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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  8. Tumor-driven stabilization of CD8Frontiers in immunology · 2026
    Review
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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

6 authors.

Jing AiCollege of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, China.
Huayao LiCollege of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261000, China.
Minpu ZhangFaculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China.
Jingyang LiuFaculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China.
Lijuan LiuDepartment of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang 261000, China.
Changgang SunCollege of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261000, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Immune evasion remains a major obstacle to effective cancer immunotherapy. While the regulatory mechanisms of the tumor biochemical microenvironment are relatively well-characterized, the role of its mechanical microenvironment-particularly pathologically elevated matrix stiffness-in immune evasion remains to be fully elucidated. Immune cells, as dynamic responders within the tumor microenvironment, are not merely passive recipients of mechanical signals but also active participants in driving pathological matrix stiffening. This review focuses on the elevated matrix stiffness resulting from abnormal deposition and crosslinking of the tumor extracellular matrix, systematically elucidating how it impairs immune cell function and drives immune evasion through physical barriers and mechanotransduction. Additionally, we further propose an innovative concept: the "matrix stiffness-immune cell bidirectional regulatory axis." Dissecting this regulatory loop provides an essential mechanical perspective for understanding immune evasion and offers a conceptual framework for developing matrix-targeted strategies to enhance immunotherapy. By integrating current evidence, this review aims to clarify the role of this bidirectional axis and to identify novel therapeutic targets and strategies that may improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies.

Indexed as

Immune EvasionImmunotherapyNeoplasmsTumor MicroenvironmentAnimalsExtracellular MatrixHumansMechanotransduction, CellularTumor EscapeExtracellular matrixImmune cell functionImmune evasionImmunotherapy.Matrix stiffness

Identifiers

PMID41362727
PMCPMC12681854

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.