Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41561769›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in oncology2025

Integrative bulk and single-cell transcriptomic analysis reveals COL1A2-driven ECM remodeling and focal adhesion signaling associated with the transition from non-muscle-invasive to muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Menglu Li, Xinwei Liu, Yuhui Xue, Yichen Lu, Zhiqiang Chen, Yuwei Zhang, Weiguo Chen, Shan-Chao Zhao, Ke Wang, Ninghan Feng

Abstract read
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Article in Frontiers in oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Menglu Li *Department of Urology, Jiangnan University Medical Center, Wuxi, China.
Xinwei Liu *Department of Urology, Jiangnan University Medical Center, Wuxi, China.
Yuhui Xue *Department of Urology, Jiangnan University Medical Center, Wuxi, China.
Yichen LuDepartment of Urology, Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Zhiqiang ChenDepartment of Urology, Jiangnan University Medical Center, Wuxi, China.
Yuwei ZhangDepartment of Urology, Wuxi Medical Center, Nantong University, Nantong, China.
Weiguo ChenDepartment of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Shan-Chao ZhaoDepartment of Urology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Ke WangDepartment of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Ninghan FengDepartment of Urology, Jiangnan University Medical Center, Wuxi, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Bladder cancer (BCA) shows significant prognostic differences between non-muscle-invasive (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive (MIBC) forms. While NMIBC frequently recurs and can progress to invasive disease, reliable biomarkers to monitor this transition are lacking. Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling is a critical factor influencing tumor aggressiveness, yet the key regulators of ECM changes across BCA stages remain unclear. In this study, we investigate the role of COL1A2 in ECM-related tumor biology and its potential as a prognostic biomarker for BCA progression. Methods: We utilized a multi-step bioinformatics pipeline, analyzing RNA-seq data from TCGA and GEO datasets to identify molecular differences between NMIBC and MIBC. Prognostic markers were prioritized via differential expression analysis, Cox regression, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The regulatory network was explored using protein-protein interaction analysis, and ECM-related activity was quantified through ssGSEA. Cell-type-specific insights were gained through single-cell RNA-seq analysis, and intercellular communication was deciphered using CellChat. Functional validation was performed through Results: COL1A2 emerged as a key prognostic ECM-related gene associated with MIBC. Single-cell RNA-seq analysis revealed that COL1A2 and ECM components were predominantly enriched in matrix cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), with PTK2 (FAK, focal adhesion kinase) upregulated in epithelial cells undergoing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). CellChat analysis uncovered a dominant COL1A2-mediated signaling axis from matrix CAFs to EMT epithelial cells via COL1A1/2-SDC1/4 ligand-receptor interactions. Functional assays confirmed that COL1A2 knockdown significantly impaired MIBC cell invasion and migration by suppressing ECM remodeling and EMT. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the COL1A2-ECM-FAK signaling axis plays a critical role in MIBC progression, and COL1A2 could serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Indexed as

COL1A2extracellular matrixfocal adhesion kinasemuscle-invasive bladder cancernon-muscle-invasive bladder cancer

Identifiers

PMID41561769
PMCPMC12812713

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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.