Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42265751›Full record

ArticleRespiratory research2026

Danthron prevents pulmonary fibrosis through improving mitochondrial function by upregulating carboxylesterase 3.

Boyu Li, Rongman Xu, Hongyan Zheng, Zhen Tian, Shanshan Wang, Sicheng Xu, Danlei Yang, Jianping Zhao, Jungang Xie

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Respiratory research, 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
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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

9 authors.

Boyu LiDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Tongji Medical College and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Health Ministry, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
Rongman XuDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Tongji Medical College and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Health Ministry, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
Hongyan ZhengDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Tongji Medical College and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Health Ministry, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
Zhen TianDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Tongji Medical College and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Health Ministry, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
Shanshan WangDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Tongji Medical College and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Health Ministry, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
Sicheng XuDepartment of Respiratory Intensive Care Unit, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medical Center, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, 830054, China. xu_sicheng@126.com.
Danlei YangDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Tongji Medical College and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Health Ministry, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China. danleiyang@aliyun.com.
Jianping ZhaoDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Tongji Medical College and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Health Ministry, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China. Zhaojp88@126.com.
Jungang XieDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Tongji Medical College and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Health Ministry, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China. xiejjgg@hotmail.com.

Funding

Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases-National Science and Technology Major Project 2023ZD0506300the Leading talents of public health in Hubei Province 2022SCZ047the National Natural Science Foundation of China 82170049, 81973986the Project of Key R&D Program in Hubei Province 2023BCB127
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is marked by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) and persistent fibroblast activation in the lungs, posing challenges for advancing effective treatment strategies. Danthron, a natural anthraquinone derivative extracted from traditional Chinese medicine rhubarb, exhibits antitumor and antioxidant efficacy.

methodsA bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF) mouse model and human precision-cut lung slices (hPCLSs) stimulated with a pro-fibrotic solution were employed. The therapeutic effects of danthron on PF were measured by histological manifestations, immunostaining and expression levels of fibrotic markers. Human fibroblasts (HFs) were utilized to explore the underlying mechanism of danthron on fibroblast function.

resultsOur data showed that danthron significantly mitigated BLM-induced PF by reducing collagen deposition and Ashcroft scores in mice. Danthron also suppressed the abundance of fibrotic markers in mouse lungs and hPCLSs. Additionally, danthron impeded the transition of lung fibroblasts to myofibroblasts while promoting their dedifferentiation. Mechanistically, the anti-fibrotic effect of danthron was associated with the upregulation of carboxylesterase 3 (CES3), which consequently enhanced mitochondrial function and mitophagy in fibroblasts. Pharmacological CES3 inhibition (WWL229) reversed these effects, whereas genetic CES3 overexpression potentiated its mitochondrial benefits. Moreover, WWL229 nullified the beneficial effects of danthron in BLM-induced PF. The downregulation of CES3 was identified in IPF patients, which exhibited a negative correlation with fibrotic genes.

conclusionsThis study demonstrated danthron as a valuable experimental tool for identifying relevant targets in preclinical models while underscoring CES3 as a potential therapeutic target for PF.

Indexed as

AnthraquinonesCarboxylesteraseIdiopathic Pulmonary FibrosisMitochondriaPulmonary FibrosisAnimalsBleomycinCells, CulturedFibroblastsHumansLungMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLUp-RegulationAnthraquinonesBleomycinCarboxylesteraseCES3DanthronFibroblast activationMitochondriaPulmonary fibrosis

Identifiers

PMID42265751
PMCPMC13505081

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.