Fibromodulin selectively accelerates myofibroblast apoptosis in cutaneous wounds by enhancing interleukin 1β signaling

Abstract Activated myofibroblasts deposit extracellular matrix material to facilitate rapid wound closure that can heal scarlessly during fetal development. However, adult myofibroblasts exhibit a relatively long life and persistent function, resulting in scarring. Thus, understanding how fetal and...

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Main Authors: Wenlu Jiang, Xiaoxiao Pang, Pin Ha, Chenshuang Li, Grace Xinlian Chang, Yuxin Zhang, Lawrence A. Bossong, Kang Ting, Chia Soo, Zhong Zheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58906-z
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author Wenlu Jiang
Xiaoxiao Pang
Pin Ha
Chenshuang Li
Grace Xinlian Chang
Yuxin Zhang
Lawrence A. Bossong
Kang Ting
Chia Soo
Zhong Zheng
author_facet Wenlu Jiang
Xiaoxiao Pang
Pin Ha
Chenshuang Li
Grace Xinlian Chang
Yuxin Zhang
Lawrence A. Bossong
Kang Ting
Chia Soo
Zhong Zheng
author_sort Wenlu Jiang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Activated myofibroblasts deposit extracellular matrix material to facilitate rapid wound closure that can heal scarlessly during fetal development. However, adult myofibroblasts exhibit a relatively long life and persistent function, resulting in scarring. Thus, understanding how fetal and adult tissue regeneration differs may serve to identify factors that promote more optimal wound healing in adults with little or less scarring. We previously found that matricellular proteoglycan fibromodulin is one such factor promoting more optimal repair, but the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms for these effects have not been fully elucidated. Here, we find that fibromodulin induces myofibroblast apoptosis after wound closure to reduce scarring in small and large animal models. Mechanistically, fibromodulin accelerates and prolongs the formation of the interleukin 1β-interleukin 1 receptor type 1-interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein ternary complex to increase the apoptosis of myofibroblasts and keloid- and hypertrophic scar-derived cells. As the persistence of myofibroblasts during tissue regeneration is a key cause of fibrosis in most organs, fibromodulin represents a promising, broad-spectrum anti-fibrotic therapeutic.
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publisher Nature Portfolio
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spelling doaj-art-7264263ebc1b480abe84788bce6fbcc12025-08-20T03:10:07ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-0116112010.1038/s41467-025-58906-zFibromodulin selectively accelerates myofibroblast apoptosis in cutaneous wounds by enhancing interleukin 1β signalingWenlu Jiang0Xiaoxiao Pang1Pin Ha2Chenshuang Li3Grace Xinlian Chang4Yuxin Zhang5Lawrence A. Bossong6Kang Ting7Chia Soo8Zhong Zheng9Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesChongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing Municipal Key Laboratory of Oral, Biomedical Engineering of Higher Education, Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical UniversityDivision of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesDepartment of Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaDivision of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesChongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing Municipal Key Laboratory of Oral, Biomedical Engineering of Higher Education, Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical UniversityDepartment of Neuroscience, Princeton UniversityAmerican Dental Association Forsyth InstituteDivision of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesDivision of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesAbstract Activated myofibroblasts deposit extracellular matrix material to facilitate rapid wound closure that can heal scarlessly during fetal development. However, adult myofibroblasts exhibit a relatively long life and persistent function, resulting in scarring. Thus, understanding how fetal and adult tissue regeneration differs may serve to identify factors that promote more optimal wound healing in adults with little or less scarring. We previously found that matricellular proteoglycan fibromodulin is one such factor promoting more optimal repair, but the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms for these effects have not been fully elucidated. Here, we find that fibromodulin induces myofibroblast apoptosis after wound closure to reduce scarring in small and large animal models. Mechanistically, fibromodulin accelerates and prolongs the formation of the interleukin 1β-interleukin 1 receptor type 1-interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein ternary complex to increase the apoptosis of myofibroblasts and keloid- and hypertrophic scar-derived cells. As the persistence of myofibroblasts during tissue regeneration is a key cause of fibrosis in most organs, fibromodulin represents a promising, broad-spectrum anti-fibrotic therapeutic.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58906-z
spellingShingle Wenlu Jiang
Xiaoxiao Pang
Pin Ha
Chenshuang Li
Grace Xinlian Chang
Yuxin Zhang
Lawrence A. Bossong
Kang Ting
Chia Soo
Zhong Zheng
Fibromodulin selectively accelerates myofibroblast apoptosis in cutaneous wounds by enhancing interleukin 1β signaling
Nature Communications
title Fibromodulin selectively accelerates myofibroblast apoptosis in cutaneous wounds by enhancing interleukin 1β signaling
title_full Fibromodulin selectively accelerates myofibroblast apoptosis in cutaneous wounds by enhancing interleukin 1β signaling
title_fullStr Fibromodulin selectively accelerates myofibroblast apoptosis in cutaneous wounds by enhancing interleukin 1β signaling
title_full_unstemmed Fibromodulin selectively accelerates myofibroblast apoptosis in cutaneous wounds by enhancing interleukin 1β signaling
title_short Fibromodulin selectively accelerates myofibroblast apoptosis in cutaneous wounds by enhancing interleukin 1β signaling
title_sort fibromodulin selectively accelerates myofibroblast apoptosis in cutaneous wounds by enhancing interleukin 1β signaling
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58906-z
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