Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kathleen M. McAndrews, Toru Miyake, Ehsan A. Ehsanipour, Patience J. Kelly, Lisa M. Becker, Daniel J. McGrail, Hikaru Sugimoto, Valerie S. LeBleu, Yejing Ge, Raghu Kalluri
Summary: The genetic depletion of alpha SMA(+) myofibroblasts leads to various wound healing defects, highlighting their important role in the repair process. beta 1 integrin from alpha SMA(+) myofibroblasts, but not TGF beta RII, is essential for wound healing, facilitating contractility, reepithelization, and vascularization. This study provides evidence for the functions of myofibroblasts in beta 1 integrin-mediated wound repair with potential implications for treating chronic non-healing wounds.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Qing-Jun Zhang, Yu He, Yongnan Li, Huali Shen, Ling Lin, Min Zhu, Zhaoning Wang, Xiang Luo, Joseph A. Hill, Dian Cao, Richard L. Luo, Raymond Zou, John McAnally, Jun Liao, Pietro Bajona, Qun S. Zang, Yonghao Yu, Zhi-Ping Liu
Summary: The study revealed a pathological role of Cilp1 in promoting post-myocardial infarction cardiac remodeling and identified a novel function of Cilp1 in promoting myofibroblast proliferation. Cilp1 may serve as a potential biomarker for pathological cardiac remodeling and a target for fibrotic heart disease.
CIRCULATION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Marco Ritelli, Nicola Chiarelli, Valeria Cinquina, Nicoletta Zoppi, Valeria Bertini, Marina Venturini, Marina Colombi
Summary: This study characterized the cellular phenotype and gene expression profile of hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) and hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) dermal fibroblasts. The findings showed generalized extracellular matrix (ECM) disarray, myofibroblast differentiation, and dysregulated gene expression in both cell types. Based on these findings, a disease model was proposed in which an unbalanced ECM remodeling leads to functional impairment of different connective tissues in hEDS/HSD patients.
Review
Cell Biology
Chao Sun, Han Zhang, Xinhui Liu
Summary: Fibrosis is a serious threat to human health and life, closely associated with disability and death from chronic diseases. The CCN protein family plays a key role in the pathological process of fibrosis, highlighting its potential for developing new drugs and determining clinical strategies.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bastian Fischer, Vanessa Schmidt, Thanh-Diep Ly, Anika Kleine, Cornelius Knabbe, Isabel Faust-Hinse
Summary: This study highlights the importance of the XT-I isoform in myofibroblast differentiation, ECM homeostasis, and the pathophysiology of skeletal disorders.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Karl Knipper, Su Ir Lyu, Alexander Quaas, Christiane J. Bruns, Thomas Schmidt
Summary: The tumor microenvironment consists of various cell types, including cancer cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and immune cells. Research efforts have recently focused on studying not only cancer cells but also other cell types in the tumor microenvironment to develop new treatment options. Fibroblasts, a heterogeneous cell family, have the ability to alter immune cell ratios, facilitate or inhibit tumor growth, establish pre-metastatic niches, or stabilize blood vessels through cell-cell interactions or the secretion of cytokines or chemokines. The phenotypes of pro- or antitumorigenic fibroblasts vary among different cancer types and even within individual tumor sites. Evaluation of fibroblast heterogeneity and its impact on the tumor microenvironment and extracellular matrix provides insights into therapy options for overcoming treatment resistance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiranuwat Sapudom, Shaza Karaman, Brian Chesney Quartey, Walaa Kamal Eldin Mohamed, Nick Mahtani, Anna Garcia-Sabate, Jeremy Teo
Summary: This article develops a simple approach to reconstitute homogeneous 3D collagen matrices with adjustable degree of fibril alignment using 3D printed inclined surfaces. It is found that the elastic modulus of collagen matrices is enhanced with an increase in the alignment degree. The reconstituted matrices are used to study fibroblast behavior and reveal the impact of collagen fibril organization on fibroblast differentiation.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Karin Feldmann, Carlo Maurer, Katja Peschke, Steffen Teller, Kathleen Schuck, Katja Steiger, Thomas Engleitner, Rupert Ollinger, Alice Nomura, Nils Wirges, Aristeidis Papargyriou, Rim Sabrina Jahan Sarker, Raphela Aranie Ranjan, Zahra Dantes, Wilko Weichert, Anil K. Rustgi, Roland M. Schmid, Roland Rad, Gunter Schneider, Dieter Saur, Maximilian Reichert
Summary: The study identifies the critical role of the Prrx1 transcription factor in regulating CAF activation and its impact on PDAC differentiation and therapeutic resistance. CAFs shape the epithelial-to-mesenchymal phenotype and confer gemcitabine resistance to PDAC cells, affecting tumor dissemination and metastasis.
Article
Cell Biology
Nicola Chiarelli, Nicoletta Zoppi, Marina Venturini, Daniele Capitanio, Cecilia Gelfi, Marco Ritelli, Marina Colombi
Summary: hEDS is the most common type of EDS characterized by joint hypermobility, chronic pain, and mild skin involvement. The disease mechanism may involve dysfunction of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) affecting ECM, offering potential therapeutic targets for improving patients' quality of life.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Di Wu, Jianguo Wu, Hui Liu, Shengyu Shi, Liangwen Wang, Yixiao Huang, Xiaorui Yu, Zhuoyue Lei, Tanliang Ouyang, Jia Shen, Guohua Wu, Shuqi Wang
Summary: This study developed a biomimetic renal fibrosis progression on-chip model to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-fibrotic drugs. The findings showed that early anti-fibrotic intervention is crucial in controlling the progression of renal fibrosis.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zeliha Guler, Jan Paul Roovers
Summary: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a connective tissue disorder that occurs due to damage to the supportive structures of the pelvic floor, causing pelvic organs to descend into the vagina. The impaired function of fibroblasts results in disrupted collagen metabolism and affects tissue mechanics. Surgical repair aims to create a load-bearing functional pelvic floor by activating fibroblasts to regulate collagen metabolism without fibrotic tissue formation. Fibroblast function plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of POP and determines the success of treatment.
Article
Cell Biology
Bai Ruan, Juan-Li Duan, Hao Xu, Kai-Shan Tao, Hua Han, Guo-Rui Dou, Lin Wang
Summary: Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells undergo partial endothelial mesenchymal transition during liver fibrosis, leading to increased extracellular matrix production without activating cell mobility. Targeting this transitional process may be valuable for antifibrotic treatment of liver fibrosis.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Naoshi Odagiri, Tsutomu Matsubara, Misako Sato-Matsubara, Hideki Fujii, Masaru Enomoto, Norifumi Kawada
Summary: Liver fibrosis is the result of chronic liver injury leading to tissue scarring, while liver cirrhosis is the advanced stage associated with severe complications. Effective therapy for cirrhosis is currently lacking, with liver transplantation being the only radical treatment option for severe cases. Research on liver fibrosis has made significant progress in recent decades, particularly in understanding the molecular mechanisms and developing novel anti-fibrotic therapies.
CLINICAL AND MOLECULAR HEPATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Elizabeth R. Jacobs, Gracious R. Ross, Nathan Padilla, Amy Y. Pan, Melodee Liegl, Andrii Puzyrenko, Shuping Lai, Qiang Dai, Nnamdi Uche, Jason C. Rubenstein, Paula E. North, El-Sayed H. Ibrahim, Yunguang Sun, Juan C. Felix, Hallgeir Rui, Ivor J. Benjamin
Summary: This article describes the profibrotic phenotype in autopsied samples of COVID-19 patients, indicating the presence of fibrotic extracellular matrix. It also identifies changes in myofibroblasts and macrophages in hot spots, showing a strong correlation with the severity of infection. These findings provide new insights into the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of COVID-19 in high-risk populations.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR CARDIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Hyun Joo Lee
Summary: This study demonstrates that the combination of pentoxifylline and vitamin E has significant anti-fibrotic effects in human primary intestinal myofibroblasts and murine models of inflammatory bowel disease, providing a promising therapy for IBD.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
S. Chawla, S. Chameettachal, S. Ghosh
MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING C-MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2015)
Article
Cell Biology
Shikha Chawla, Sourabh Ghosh
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Cell Biology
Abhishak C. Gupta, Shikha Chawla, Ashok Hegde, Divya Singh, Balaji Bandyopadhyay, Chandrasekharan C. Lakshmanan, Gurpreet Kalsi, Sourabh Ghosh
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2018)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Shikha Chawla, Swati Midha, Aarushi Sharma, Sourabh Ghosh
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2018)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Swati Midha, Shikha Chawla, Juhi Chakraborty, Shibu Chameettachal, Sourabh Ghosh
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2018)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Swati Midha, Shikha Chawla, Juhi Chakraborty, Shibu Chameettachal, Sourabh Ghosh
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2018)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Shikha Chawla, Aarushi Sharma, Amitabha Bandyopadhyay, Sourabh Ghosh
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2018)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Subhadeep Roy, Saumya Yadav, Tanushree Dasgupta, Shikha Chawla, Radhika Tandon, Sourabh Ghosh
DRUG DISCOVERY TODAY
(2019)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Aarushi Sharma, Giovanna Desando, Mauro Petretta, Shikha Chawla, Isabella Bartolotti, Cristina Manferdini, Francesca Paolella, Elena Gabusi, Diego Trucco, Sourabh Ghosh, Gina Lisignoli
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2019)
Correction
Materials Science, Biomaterials
S. Chawla, S. Chameettachal, S. Ghosh
MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING C-MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2019)
Article
Cell Biology
Shikha Chawla, Majoska H. M. Berkelaar, Boris Dasen, Christine Halleux, Sabine Guth-Gundel, Ina Kramer, Sourabh Ghosh, Ivan Martin, Andrea Barbero, Paola Occhetta
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Polymer Science
Shikha Chawla, Sinchan Seit, Sumit Murab, Sourabh Ghosh
Article
Ophthalmology
Raghav Ravani, Vinod Kumar, Atul Kumar, Pradeep Kumar, Shikha Chawla, Sourabh Ghosh
INDIAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Maumita Bhattacharjee, Shikha Chawla, Shibu Chameettachal, Sumit Murab, Neel Sarovar Bhavesh, Sourabh Ghosh
BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS
(2016)