The concept of Sfrp1+ transitional fibroblasts: the key to dissociating lineage heterogeneity and fate of invasive fibroblasts in pulmonary fibrosis?

Abstract

The novel concept of Sfrp1⁺ transitional fibroblasts has sparked novel points of interest: the mechanisms under which the Sfrp1⁺ transitional fibroblasts emerge and the in vivo functions of Sfrp1 and Sfrp1⁺ transitional fibroblasts in pulmonary fibrosis https://bit.ly/4aq6iAI

FIGURE 1

Downregulated SFRP1 expression in invasive fibroblasts from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) lungs. Transcriptional levels of SFRP1 in primary fibroblasts from lungs of IPF patients and healthy donors (a) and in invasive (in) versus noninvasive (non) fibroblasts from IPF lungs (b and c) by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis. d) Transcriptional levels of SFRP1/CTHRC1 and SFRP4/CTHRC1 in published integrated scRNA-seq analysis (integration of GSE136831, GSE157376, GSE128169, GSE135893, GSE128033, GSE122960 and GSE132771) on fibroblasts from lungs of IPF patients and healthy donors by blended feature plots. e) Graphical illustration of the lineage tracing on Sfrp1⁺ transitional fibroblasts in murine lung at different stages of bleomycin-induced injury/fibrogenesis. TGF: transforming growth factor; ECM: extracellular matrix.