FGF21 Signaling Exerts Anti-Fibrotic Properties During Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Rationale: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a lethal disease with limited therapeutic options. FGF21, an endocrine fibroblast growth factor that acts through the FGFR1/KLB pathway, mitigates liver fibrosis.

Objectives: We hypothesized that FGF21 could exert anti-fibrotic properties in the lung.

Identification of FGFR4 as a regulator of myofibroblast differentiation in pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating lung disease with limited therapeutic options. Fibroblast growth factor receptor-4 (FGFR4) is a known receptor for several paracrine fibroblast growth factors (FGFs). FGFR4 is also the main receptor for FGF19, an endocrine FGF that was demonstrated by our group to have antifibrotic properties in the lung.

ERS International Congress 2023: highlights from the Basic and Translational Sciences Assembly.

Early career members of Assembly 3 (Basic and Translational Sciences) of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) summarise the key messages discussed during six selected sessions that took place at the ERS International Congress 2023 in Milan, Italy. Aligned with the theme of the congress, the first session covered is "Micro- and macro-environments and respiratory health", which is followed by a summary of the "Scientific year in review" session. Next, recent advances in experimental methodologies and new technologies are discussed from the "Tissue modelling and remodelling" session and a summary provided of the translational science session, "What did you always want to know about omics analyses for clinical practice?", which was organised as part of the ERS Translational Science initiative's aims.