Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41963283›Full record

ArticleCell death & disease2026

EpCAM supports exit from pluripotency of embryonic stem cells via Eomes.

Ningyue Gong, Mahesh Gouda, Ana Marija Balaz, Jiahang Song, Gisela Kranz, Julia Hess, Philipp Baumeister, Kristian Unger, Vera Katalina, Martin Canis and 1 more

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. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

11 authors.

Ningyue Gong *Department of Otorhinolaryngology, LMU University Hospital, LMU, Munich, Germany.
Mahesh Gouda *Department of Otorhinolaryngology, LMU University Hospital, LMU, Munich, Germany.
Ana Marija BalazDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, LMU University Hospital, LMU, Munich, Germany.
Jiahang SongDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, LMU University Hospital, LMU, Munich, Germany.
Gisela KranzDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, LMU University Hospital, LMU, Munich, Germany.
Julia HessResearch Unit Translational Metabolic Oncology (TMO), Institute for Diabetes and Cancer (IDC), Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Munich, Germany.
Philipp BaumeisterDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, LMU University Hospital, LMU, Munich, Germany.
Kristian UngerDepartment of Radiation Oncology, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.
Vera KatalinaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, LMU University Hospital, LMU, Munich, Germany.
Martin CanisDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, LMU University Hospital, LMU, Munich, Germany.
Olivier GiresDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, LMU University Hospital, LMU, Munich, Germany. olivier.gires@med.uni-muenchen.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2292-7064

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) Gi 540/3-4Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) INST 409/223-1 FUGG
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is a tumor-associated antigen that marks pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Regulation of Epcam expression yields a spatiotemporal patterning during embryogenesis that is thoroughly mimicked in a 3D model of spontaneous differentiation of embryoid bodies (EBs). Here, we present a role of EpCAM in exit from pluripotency of murine ESCs (mESCs) to establish cardiomyocytes in EBs. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of wildtype and Epcam-knockout mESCs at strategic time points of spontaneous differentiation uncovered molecular deficiencies of Epcam-knockout ESCs in "Wnt signaling" and "Heart development". Multi-level bioinformatic analyses revealed central lineage-defining transcription factors Eomes, Foxa2, and Gata6 as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that are misregulated in Epcam-knockout mESCs. Gene expression association of Epcam with Eomes, Foxa2, and Gata6 was prominent at day three of spontaneous differentiation, representing primitive streak formation in EBs. Interrogation of public single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) datasets supported a co-expression of Epcam and Eomes at early stages of murine embryogenesis in epiblast, primitive streak, nascent mesoderm, extraembryonic ectoderm and endoderm. Newly generated scRNAseq of wildtype mESCs in spontaneous differentiation delineated the formation of epiblast, primitive streak, endo- and mesoderm cells, and cardiomyocytes. Expression and pseudotime analysis positioned Epcam expression slightly ahead of Eomes at the transition of early to late primitive streak, along with rising Wnt signaling. Accordingly, conditional re-expression of Epcam or Eomes but not of Foxa2 or Gata6 complemented differentiation defects of Epcam-knockouts and confirmed an involvement of Wnt signaling in the EpCAM-dependent activation of Eomes. Hence, defective exit of pluripotency in Epcam-deficient ESCs is linked to Eomes regulation via Wnt signaling.

Indexed as

Embryonic Stem CellsEpithelial Cell Adhesion MoleculeMouse Embryonic Stem CellsPluripotent Stem CellsAnimalsCell DifferentiationEmbryoid BodiesGATA6 Transcription FactorGene Expression Regulation, DevelopmentalHepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-betaMiceMyocytes, CardiacWnt Signaling PathwayEpithelial Cell Adhesion MoleculeFoxa2 protein, mouseGata6 protein, mouseGATA6 Transcription FactorHepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-beta

Identifiers

PMID41963283
PMCPMC13076738

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.