Secreted Cytokines From Inflammatory Macrophages Modulate Sex Differences in Valvular Interstitial Cells on Hydrogel Biomaterials.

ABSTRACT: Patients with aortic valve stenosis (AVS) experience fibrosis and/or calcification in valve tissue, which leads to heart failure if left untreated. Inflammation is a hallmark of AVS, and secreted cytokines from pro-inflammatory macrophages are thought to contribute to valve fibro-calcification by driving the activation of valvular interstitial cells (VICs) to myofibroblasts. However, the molecular mechanisms by which inflammatory cytokines differentially regulate myofibroblast activation as a function of biological sex are not fully defined. Here, we developed an in vitro hydrogel culture platform to culture male and female valvular interstitial cells (VICs) and characterize the sex-specific effects of inflammatory cytokines on VIC activation to myofibroblasts and osteoblast-like cells. Ou

SUBMITTER: Felix Velez NE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11875511 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature