Pharmacological Regulation of Tissue Fibrosis by Targeting the Mechanical Contraction of Myofibroblasts

    December 2021 in “ Fundamental Research
    Zhengquan He, Xuewei Yuan, Zongbao Lu, Yuhuan Li, Yufei Li, Xin Liu, Liu Wang, Ying Zhang, Qi Zhou, Wei Li
    TLDR Blebbistatin can reduce fibrosis by targeting myofibroblast contraction.
    The study demonstrated that (-)-blebbistatin (Ble), a non-muscle myosin Ⅱ inhibitor, significantly inhibited liver fibrosis in chronic injury mouse models by reducing tissue stiffness and myofibroblast activation. Ble's effects included decreasing the F/G-actin ratio and causing exnucleation of YAP1 and MRTF-A, which are involved in mechanical contraction. The research highlighted the potential of targeting mechanical contraction in myofibroblasts as a therapeutic strategy for fibrotic diseases, suggesting Ble's broad-spectrum antifibrotic effects across multiple organ fibrosis models.
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