Matrix viscoelasticity amplifies pro-fibrotic crosstalk between cardiac fibroblasts and macrophages.

Viscoelastic tissue properties significantly enhance pro-fibrotic interactions between cardiac fibroblasts and macrophages, especially in soft, viscous environments.

• Why it matters: Understanding how tissue mechanics influence immune-stromal crosstalk is crucial for developing targeted therapies for cardiac fibrosis, yet this relationship remains poorly understood.
• What they did: A viscoelastic coculture platform was developed to study mechanical and paracrine signaling, revealing that soft, viscous matrices promote fibroblast activation and healing macrophage phenotypes, while stiff matrices induce inflammation.
• The result: The findings demonstrate that tissue viscoelasticity amplifies pro-fibrotic signaling via a feedback loop involving cytokines and transcription factors, establishing viscoelasticity as a key regulator of fibrosis and a platform for further mechanobiological research.