Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41555216›Full record

ArticleCellular & molecular biology letters2026

HNF4A P2 isoform alleviates kidney fibrosis by inhibiting dedifferentiation of proximal tubular cells through JAG1/NOTCH signaling.

Guiya Jiang, Xun Lu, Rui Cao, Houliang Zhang, Yue Gao, Kai Lu, Lei Zhang, Guangyuan Zhang, Jianping Wu, Bin Xu and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cellular & molecular biology letters, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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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

14 authors.

Guiya Jiang *Urology Department, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Xun Lu *Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China.
Rui Cao *Urology Department, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Houliang Zhang *Urology Department, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Yue GaoDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Kai LuUrology Department, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Lei ZhangUrology Department, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Guangyuan ZhangUrology Department, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Jianping WuUrology Department, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Bin XuUrology Department, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Jian ZhongZhangjiagang TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine/Zhangjiagang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Zhangjiagang, 215000, Suzhou, China. zhongjie_218@163.com.
Jin SunDepartment of Urology, Xuyi County People's Hospital, No.28 Hongwu Avenue, Xuyi County, Huaian, 223001, China. 1261516421@qq.com.
Ming ChenUrology Department, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Shuqiu ChenUrology Department, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. chenshuqiuzdyy@163.com.

Funding

Jiangsu Provincial Key Discipline and Laboratory Construction Funds of Urology 2023YXZDXK02Jiangsu Provincial Key Research and Development Program BE2022829Nanjing Key Science and Technology Special Project (Life and Health)-Medical-Engineering Collaborative Project 202305033National Clinical Key Discipline Construction Funds CZXM-ZK-47National Natural Science Foundation of China 82070773Zhongda Hospital Affiliated to Southeast University, Jiangsu Province High-Level Hospital Construction Funds GSP-LCYJFH11Zhongda Hospital Affiliated to Southeast University, Jiangsu Province High-Level Hospital Pairing Assistance Construction Funds zdyyxy24
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTubulointerstitial fibrosis is a critical and irreversible process of chronic kidney disease. Dedifferentiated proximal tubular cells (PTCs) after injury are important for tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4A) is the main regulatory factor for PTC differentiation. However, its role in PTC dedifferentiation and kidney fibrosis remains unclear.

methodsTo investigate the role of HNF4A in kidney fibrosis, bioinformatics analysis and in vivo models were used to evaluate its expression in kidney tissues. The mechanisms through which the HNF4A P2 isoform inhibits kidney fibrosis were examined by using both in vivo and in vitro models.

resultsIn this study, we revealed that the sustained downregulation of HNF4A expression was a key characteristic of abnormally repaired PTCs after injury and was associated with cell dedifferentiation. It was confirmed that the HNF4A P2 isoform, rather than the P1 isoform, inhibited TGF-β1-induced PTC dedifferentiation. The activation of fibroblasts, which was induced by dedifferentiated PTCs through paracrine signalling, was also inhibited. In vivo experiments confirmed that HNF4A P2 was more effective than HNF4A P1 was in alleviating kidney fibrosis. Mechanistically, on one hand, HNF4A P2 antagonized the TGF-β1-induced dedifferentiation of PTCs by inhibiting the JAG1/NOTCH pathway. On the other hand, the distinct structure of HNF4A P2 from that of P1 made it unaffected by TGF-β1-activated SRC, allowing HNF4A P2 to perform transcriptional regulatory functions.

conclusionsThese findings suggest that targeting the HNF4A P2 isoform could serve as a novel therapeutic strategy to alleviate kidney fibrosis.

Indexed as

Cell DedifferentiationHepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4Jagged-1 ProteinKidney DiseasesKidney Tubules, ProximalReceptors, NotchSignal TransductionAnimalsFibrosisHumansMaleMiceProtein IsoformsHepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4Jagged-1 ProteinProtein IsoformsReceptors, NotchHNF4AIsoformKidney fibrosisTubular dedifferentiation

Identifiers

PMID41555216
PMCPMC12927263

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.