Mechanical biomarkers in respiratory diseases: From mechanobiology to mechanomedicine

Respiratory diseases represent a substantial global health challenge, underscoring an urgent need for the development of better diagnostic tools and effective therapeutics. Recently, mechanical biomarkers have emerged as crucial pathophysiological indicators of most human diseases detectable at cell, tissue, and organ level. They present a promising alternative to traditional biochemical markers, with label-free, cost-effective, and rapid diagnostic advantages. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the cross-scale techniques for probing mechanical biomarkers and the manifestation of mechanical biomarkers in major chronic respiratory diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and lung cancer. Then, the diagnostic and informed therapeutic applications of mechanical biomarkers in respiratory medicine are discussed. Moreover, it addresses the challenges and future research directions for further understanding and integration of mechanical biomarkers into respiratory disease and medicine. In summary, this review provides an overview of the current landscape and future prospects of the role of mechanical biomarkers in combating respiratory diseases from bench to bedside as a new frontier of mechanomedicine.