Cadherin-11 integrates Piezo1 and interleukin-6 signaling to promote fibroblast activation

Key Points

• Investigating how cadherin-11 integrates mechanical and inflammatory signals to drive fibroblast activation and tissue fibrosis.
• Utilized a hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel to model fibroblast behavior under mechanical and inflammatory conditions.
• Examined the interaction between cadherin-11, Piezo1, and interleukin-6 signaling pathways in fibroblasts.
• Conducted assays to measure fibroblast activation and response to stimuli.
• Cadherin-11 expression was linked to enhanced fibroblast activation induced by mechanical stress and interleukin-6.
• Blocking Piezo1 or interleukin-6 signaling resulted in reduced fibroblast activation, indicating their roles in fibrosis.
• Findings suggest that targeting cadherin-11 could be a novel approach to mitigate tissue fibrosis.