Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41709211›Full record

ArticleCancer cell international2026

Cigarette smoke promotes the progression of non-small cell lung cancer by activating ERK1/2-FOXC1 axis to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Rui Wang, Yanwen Zhang, Jing Zhang, Jie Cao

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer cell international, 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. 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

4 authors.

Rui Wang *Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, China.
Yanwen Zhang *Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, China.
Jing ZhangDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, China. tjzyyzhangjing@163.com.
Jie CaoDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, China. caojie20240925@163.com.

Funding

Natural Science Foundation of China 81970084
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSmoking is the leading risk factor for the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, the specific mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. Increasing evidence has suggested that elevated forkhead box protein C1 (FOXC1) expression is associated with cancer progression. However, it remains unclear whether smoking promotes NSCLC progression via FOXC1 expression. Therefore, we used in vivo and in vitro models of smoking-associated NSCLC to investigate the role of FOXC1 in NSCLC progression.

methodsCell models were established by treating A549 and H1299 cells with cigarette smoke extract (CSE). Rescue experiments were performed by knocking down FOXC1 and administering U0126, a specific inhibitor of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) pathway. The cell counting kit-8, 5-Ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine proliferation, colony formation, and tumor xenograft assays were performed to assess the proliferative capacity of A549 and H1299 cells. Wound healing and Transwell assays were used to evaluate the migratory and invasive capabilities of these cell lines. Western blotting was performed to detect changes in protein expression.

resultsCSE significantly enhanced the proliferation, migration, and invasion capacities of A549 and H1299 cells while inducing alterations in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and cellular morphology. CSE elevated the expression of FOXC1 in both A549 and H1299 cells. Silencing of FOXC1 mitigated the malignant biological behavior and EMT changes induced by CSE. Additionally, the ERK1/2 signaling pathway was activated in A549 and H1299 cells following CSE treatment. The application of the ERK1/2 pathway inhibitor U0126 reversed the CSE-induced increase in FOXC1 expression and the associated malignant behavior of these cells.

conclusionsCSE upregulates FOXC1 expression by activating the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, thereby facilitating NSCLC progression. These findings identify novel potential targets for the diagnosis and treatment of smoking-related NSCLC.

Indexed as

Cigarette smokeEpithelial-mesenchymal transitionERK1/2FOXC1Non-Small cell lung cancer

Identifiers

PMID41709211
PMCPMC13020050

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.