Publications by authors named "Nicole A Hefner"
Nanoparticle targeting of de novo profibrotic macrophages mitigates lung fibrosis.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
April 2022
Article Synopsis
- Lung fibrosis develops through immune system activation, leading to inflammation and the production of growth factors like TGFβ1, which promotes abnormal extracellular matrix formation.
- In the process, resident macrophages are replaced by newly recruited monocyte-derived macrophages, which contribute to fibrosis by releasing harmful cytokines and altering the matrix structure.
- Researchers propose using mannosylated albumin nanoparticles to target and deliver TGFβ1 small-interfering RNA (siRNA) specifically to these profibrotic macrophages, offering a potential new treatment approach for lung fibrosis.