A recent study has shed new light on the role of fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) in muscle regeneration, fibrosis, and degeneration . These cells play a crucial part in tissue homeostasis , and their functions have significant implications for conditions such as muscular dystrophy, sarcopenia, and muscle atrophy .
How inflammatory cytokines influence the behavior of FAPs, impacting their proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation was explored. The role of TNF-α , a key cytokine secreted by Ly6C^high macrophages, which can either promote FAP apoptosis and reduce fibrosis or contribute to muscle degeneration, depending on the state of the muscle was highlighted. Additionally, IL-1α and IL-1β were identified as potent inhibitors of FAP adipogenesis , while growth factors such as betacellulin and epidermal growth factor enhance their proliferation.
One of the most important findings relates to IL-33 , a cytokine primarily secreted by FAPs, which plays a crucial role in muscle injury repair by recruiting regulatory T cells . The study also reveals that in denervated muscles , FAPs secrete IL-6 through STAT3 pathway activation , contributing to both muscle atrophy and fibrosis .
The study highlights the potential for targeted therapies to modulate FAP behavior in various muscle disorders . Notably, histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) , currently in clinical trials for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) , can induce FAPs to shift towards a pro-myogenic phenotype , improving muscle regeneration in dystrophic environments .
Such research offers new therapeutic directions for managing muscle-wasting diseases and underscores the importance of understanding cellular interactions in muscle repair and degeneration .
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Reference
Xia Kang, Kun Zhao, Zhu Huang, So-ichiro Fukada, Xiao-wei Qi, Hongming Miao, Pdgfrα+ stromal cells, a key regulator for tissue homeostasis and dysfunction in distinct organs, Genes & Diseases, Volume 12, Issue 2, 2025, 101264, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gendis.2024.101264
Genes & Diseases