Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41639049›Full record

ArticleCell death & disease2026

TGFβ signaling promotes cell cycle progression and resistance to the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib through SOX4 transcriptional modulation in breast cancer cells.

Mohamad Moustafa Ali, Yuka Itoh, Aisha Mariama Pereira Badji, Sarah Gallant, Chrysoula Tsirigoti, Yu Bai, Beata Filipek-Górniok, Keiji Miyazawa, Carl-Henrik Heldin, Aristidis Moustakas

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell death & disease, 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

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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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.

Mohamad Moustafa AliDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. mohamad.ali@imbim.uu.se.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4902-0550
Yuka ItohDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Aisha Mariama Pereira BadjiDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Sarah GallantDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-9742-4706
Chrysoula TsirigotiDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6554-738X
Yu BaiDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-0812-8917
Beata Filipek-GórniokDepartment of Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Keiji MiyazawaDepartment of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7835-7718
Carl-Henrik HeldinDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9508-896X
Aristidis MoustakasDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. aris.moustakas@imbim.uu.se.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9131-3827

Funding

Cancerfonden (Swedish Cancer Society) 22-0555-01HCancerfonden (Swedish Cancer Society) CAN2021/1506Pj01HCancerfonden (Swedish Cancer Society) CAN2024/24/3580Pj01HEC | EC Seventh Framework Programm | FP7 Ideas: European Research Council (FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific Programme: "Ideas" Implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities (2007 to 2013)) 787472MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI [19KK0400]Vetenskapsrådet (Swedish Research Council) 2020-01291Vetenskapsrådet (Swedish Research Council) 2023-02865
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cancer signaling encompasses a wide array of entangled molecular cascades that promote oncogenic progression and counteract the effect of tumor suppressors. Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) induces complex and stage-dependent effects throughout tumor progression. During pre-malignant hyperplastic growth, TGFβ restricts cell proliferation and inflammation, while on the other hand, TGFβ promotes migration and distal metastasis of cancer cells. To dissect the temporal chromatin-based transcriptional response to TGFβ, we employed 3D culture models of isogenic human breast epithelial cells, exemplified by non-oncogenic MCF-10A (MI) and their HRAS-transformed counterpart (MII). Genome-wide chromatin accessibility profiling revealed an extensive chromatin opening induced by TGFβ at transcription start sites and enhancer elements in both models, with a marked enrichment of SOX4 binding motifs in oncogenic cells. Transcriptomic analyses unexpectedly revealed the upregulation of DNA replication and DNA damage response pathways, following TGFβ stimulation of oncogenic MII 3D cultures. Canonical TGFβ-driven programs, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metabolic reprogramming, were activated in both models. Notably, single-cell RNA-seq of primary breast tumors confirmed co-expression of SOX4 and cell cycle regulators. Mechanistically, we show that TGFβ induces the interaction between the MH2 domain of SMAD3 and the intrinsically disordered regions of SOX4, co-activating downstream gene targets. Validating the genome-wide analyses, we found that resistance of breast cancer cells to the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib conferred by TGFβ stimulation was functionally dependent on SOX4. Collectively, our findings reveal an apparent oncogenic function of TGFβ in promoting cell cycle progression and drug resistance through SOX4, highlighting the pro-tumorigenic role of TGFβ signaling in breast cancer progression.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsCell CycleCyclin-Dependent Kinase 4Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6Drug Resistance, NeoplasmPiperazinesPyridinesSOXC Transcription FactorsTransforming Growth Factor betaCell Line, TumorCell ProliferationEpithelial-Mesenchymal TransitionFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansSignal TransductionCDK4 protein, humanCDK6 protein, humanCyclin-Dependent Kinase 4Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6palbociclibPiperazinesPyridinesSOX4 protein, humanSOXC Transcription FactorsTransforming Growth Factor beta

Identifiers

PMID41639049
PMCPMC12895049

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.