Infarct Collagen Topography Regulates Fibroblast Fate via p38-Yes-Associated Protein Transcriptional Enhanced Associate Domain Signals

Darrian Bugg, Ross Bretherton, Peter Kim, Emily Olszewski, Abigail Nagle, Austin E. Schumacher, Nick Chu, Jagadambika Gunaje, Cole A. DeForest, Kelly Stevens, Deok-Ho Kim, Jennifer Davis.

---

Rationale

Myocardial infarction causes spatial variation in collagen organization and phenotypic diversity in fibroblasts, which regulate the heart’s ECM (extracellular matrix). The relationship between collagen structure and fibroblast phenotype is poorly understood but could provide insights regarding the mechanistic basis for myofibroblast heterogeneity in the injured heart.

Objective

To investigate the role of collagen organization in cardiac fibroblast fate determination.