Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37495732›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2023

Chronic activation of human cardiac fibroblasts in vitro attenuates the reversibility of the myofibroblast phenotype.

Caitlin Hall, Jonathan P Law, Jasmeet S Reyat, Max J Cumberland, Shaun Hang, Nguyen T N Vo, Kavita Raniga, Chris J Weston, Christopher O'Shea, Jonathan N Townend and 4 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 32 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
32citing papers in PubMed
8.8field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
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

32 citing papers in PubMed, 40 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. A practical toolbox for modelling fibrosis in vitro.Nature biomedical engineering · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. RUNX1 is a mediator of fibrotic activation and epigenetic memory in lung fibroblasts.American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology · 2026
    Article
  6. Review
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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

14 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Caitlin Hall *Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Jonathan P Law *Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Jasmeet S ReyatInstitute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Max J CumberlandInstitute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Shaun HangInstitute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Nguyen T N VoDepartment of Stem Cell Biology, Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
Kavita RanigaDepartment of Stem Cell Biology, Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
Chris J WestonInstitute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Christopher O'SheaInstitute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Jonathan N TownendInstitute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Katja GehmlichInstitute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Charles J FerroInstitute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Chris DenningDepartment of Stem Cell Biology, Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK. Chris.Denning@nottingham.ac.uk.
Davor PavlovicInstitute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. d.pavlovic@bham.ac.uk.
University of Birmingham · GBUniversity of Nottingham · GBQueen Elizabeth Hospital · GBUniversity Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust · GB

Funding

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council BB/N018869/1British Heart Foundation CRMR/21/290009British Heart Foundation FS/19/12/34204British Heart Foundation FS/19/16/34169British Heart Foundation FS/19/76/34927British Heart Foundation PG/15/117/31961British Heart Foundation PG/17/55/33087British Heart Foundation PG/21/10545British Heart Foundation RG/15/6/31436British Heart Foundation RG/17/15/33106British Heart Foundation SP/15/9/31605Medical Research Council MR/N013913/1National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research NC/C013202/1National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research NC/T2T0119Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust 109604/Z/15/ZWellcome Trust 221650/Z/20/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Activation of cardiac fibroblasts and differentiation to myofibroblasts underlies development of pathological cardiac fibrosis, leading to arrhythmias and heart failure. Myofibroblasts are characterised by increased α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) fibre expression, secretion of collagens and changes in proliferation. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and increased mechanical stress can initiate myofibroblast activation. Reversibility of the myofibroblast phenotype has been observed in murine cells but has not been explored in human cardiac fibroblasts. In this study, chronically activated adult primary human ventricular cardiac fibroblasts and human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cFbs (hiPSC-cFbs) were used to investigate the potential for reversal of the myofibroblast phenotype using either subculture on soft substrates or TGF-β receptor inhibition. Culture on softer plates (25 or 2 kPa Young's modulus) did not alter proliferation or reduce expression of α-SMA and collagen 1. Similarly, culture of myofibroblasts in the presence of TGF-β inhibitor did not reverse myofibroblasts back to a quiescent phenotype. Chronically activated hiPSC-cFbs also showed attenuated response to TGF-β receptor inhibition and inability to reverse to quiescent fibroblast phenotype. Our data demonstrate substantial loss of TGF-β signalling plasticity as well as a loss of feedback from the surrounding mechanical environment in chronically activated human myofibroblasts.

Indexed as

Induced Pluripotent Stem CellsMyofibroblastsActinsAdultAnimalsCell DifferentiationCells, CulturedFibroblastsHumansMicePhenotypeTransforming Growth Factor betaTransforming Growth Factor beta1ActinsTransforming Growth Factor betaTransforming Growth Factor beta1

Identifiers

PMID37495732
PMCPMC10372150
OpenAlexW4385266867

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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 OpenQuestion graph.