Evidence mapPaperPMID 41555160Full record

ArticleCancer science2026

IRF4 Enhances Radiosensitivity of Cervical Cancer by Inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway to Regulate Autophagy.

Meihui Gao, Zhaolei Cui, Huachun Song, Yanhong Li, Anyang Li, Jianfeng Zheng, Linying Liu, Xuefen Lin, Wankai Fu, Yang Sun

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer science, 2026. 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

10 authors.

Meihui GaoDepartment of Gynecology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
Zhaolei CuiLaboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
Huachun SongDepartment of Thyroid Breast Oncology, Yiwu Central Hospital, Yiwu, Zhejiang, China.
Yanhong LiDepartment of Gynecology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
Anyang LiDepartment of Gynecology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
Jianfeng ZhengDepartment of Gynecology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
Linying LiuDepartment of Gynecology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
Xuefen LinDepartment of Gynecology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2376-1619
Wankai FuDepartment of Radiotherapy, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
Yang SunDepartment of Gynecology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1587-9797

Funding

Clinical Research Center for Precision Treatment of Gynecological Malignancies of Fujian Province,China 2022Y2015High-level Talents Training Project of Fujian Cancer Hospital 2022YNG04Major Scientific Research Program for Young and Middle-aged Health Professionals of Fujian Province, China 2022ZQNZD008
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4), a critical member of the IRF transcription factor family, harbors an elusive biological role in cervical cancer. Through immunohistochemical staining and immunoblotting, CCK-8 viability assays, EdU incorporation tests, clonogenic survival experiments, flow cytometric detection, transmission electron microscopy, immunofluorescence staining and heterotopic transplantation model, we discover that IRF4 expression was markedly decreased in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines compared to normal controls. Overexpression of IRF4 suppressed proliferation, migration, and invasion in both Siha and HeLa cells, while concurrently enhancing radiosensitivity. Mechanistically, IRF4 upregulated autophagy-related proteins (LC3, Beclin-1) and promoted autophagosome formation, while downregulating P62 by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. In vivo studies demonstrated that IRF4 augmented the tumor response to radiation and further potentiated the effects when combined with rapamycin treatment, confirming its pivotal role in promoting radiosensitivity through PI3K/Akt/mTOR-mediated autophagy. IRF4 emerges as a critical regulator of cervical cancer progression via modulation of autophagy and influences the tumor's response to radiotherapy. It holds promise as a potential therapeutic target to enhance cervical cancer radiosensitivity.

Indexed as

AutophagyInterferon Regulatory FactorsProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktRadiation ToleranceTOR Serine-Threonine KinasesUterine Cervical NeoplasmsAnimalsBeclin-1Cell Line, TumorCell MovementCell ProliferationFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHeLa CellsHumansInterferon Regulatory Factor-4Beclin-1Interferon Regulatory Factor-4Interferon Regulatory FactorsMTOR protein, humanPhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktTOR Serine-Threonine Kinasesautophagycervical cancerinterferon regulatory factor 4radiosensitivity

Identifiers

PMID41555160
PMCPMC13045277

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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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.