Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41906119›Full record

ArticleCellular & molecular biology letters2026

Targeting fibroblast activation protein-α to treat renal fibrosis.

Li Gong, Xinyu Lu, Na Ma, Tao Lu, Yuhong Gong, Liwei Hao, Weikang Xu, Qianbing Zhang, Xiaolan Chen, Qinglin Mo and 8 more

Erratum issuedAbstract 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. An erratum has been issued. 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. Recent advances in biomarkers for cardiac fibrosis.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Li Gong *Experimental Animal Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China. gongli009@126.com.
Xinyu Lu *Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Multi-organ Injury Prevention and Treatment; Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China (Southern Medical University), Ministry of Education; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Major Liver Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Viral Hepatitis; Guangdong Institute of Hepatology; Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Liver Fibrosis Engineering and Technology., 510515, Guangzhou, China.
Na Ma *Department of Pathology, The First People's Hospital of Foshan (Foshan Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology), School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Guangdong, 528000, Foshan, China.
Tao Lu *Changzhou Geriatric Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Changzhou no. 7 People's Hospital, Changzhou, 213011, China.
Yuhong GongExperimental Animal Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
Liwei HaoThe School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
Weikang XuDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510220, China.
Qianbing ZhangCancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
Xiaolan ChenDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Multi-organ Injury Prevention and Treatment; Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China (Southern Medical University), Ministry of Education; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Major Liver Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Viral Hepatitis; Guangdong Institute of Hepatology; Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Liver Fibrosis Engineering and Technology., 510515, Guangzhou, China.
Qinglin MoDepartment of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
Jiexing TanExperimental Animal Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
Henrique de Paula LemosTranslational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Framlington Place, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5PL, UK.
Alexander SpeechleyTranslational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Framlington Place, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5PL, UK.
Wenwei TuDepartment of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China.
Jianpiao CaiState Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, 999077, China.
Lei HuangTranslational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Framlington Place, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5PL, UK. lei.huang@newcastle.ac.uk.
Wei ZhuDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Multi-organ Injury Prevention and Treatment; Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China (Southern Medical University), Ministry of Education; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Major Liver Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Viral Hepatitis; Guangdong Institute of Hepatology; Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Liver Fibrosis Engineering and Technology., 510515, Guangzhou, China. zhuwei317@smu.edu.cn.
Sha WuDepartment of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Guangzhou, 510515, China. shawu99@outlook.com.

Funding

14th Five-year high level specificality construction project in Foshan FSGSP145033Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation 2023A1515012169Guangdong Provincial Natural Science Foundation 2214050008966Hospital Dean Foundation of Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University 2020NF0016National Natural Science Foundation of China 81802449National Natural Science Foundation of China 82073165National Natural Science Foundation of China 82073360Outstanding Youth Development Scheme of Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University 2020J004
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRenal fibrosis is the common outcome of chronic renal disease. Currently, there are no effective therapies. Fibroblast activation and extracellular matrix accumulation are key processes driving renal fibrosis. METHODS AND

resultsFibroblast activation protein (FAP) is highly induced in injured kidneys, and immunofluorescence staining revealed that FAP is mainly expressed in Platelet-derived growth factor receptor-beta (PDGFRβ)+ and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)+ myofibroblasts in kidney samples from mice with renal fibrosis and patients with chronic kidney diseases or post-acute kidney injury. In this study, targeting FAP as a strategy for treating renal fibrosis is tested using two preclinical animal models: the mouse models of unilateral ureteral obstruction and unilateral renal ischemia–reperfusion. Adoptive transfer of T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptor specific to FAP or administration of an FAP inhibitor (SP-13786) significantly alleviated kidney fibrosis in both mouse models. Eliminating FAP+ fibroblasts using chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy or inhibiting the FAP prevented fibroblast overactivation, proliferation, and migration, promoted apoptosis, and effectively suppressed other myofibroblast populations.

conclusionsOverall, we report herein that targeting FAP offers a novel promising treatment approach for renal fibrosis.

Indexed as

GelatinasesKidneyKidney DiseasesMembrane ProteinsSerine EndopeptidasesAnimalsApoptosisDisease Models, AnimalEndopeptidasesFibroblast Activation Protein AlphaFibroblastsFibrosisHumansMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLEndopeptidasesFibroblast Activation Protein AlphaGelatinasesMembrane ProteinsSerine EndopeptidasesChimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapyFibroblast activation protein-α (FAP)Renal fibrosis

Identifiers

PMID41906119
PMCPMC13154437

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.