Fig. 6: Schematic diagram of the constructed CAR-M therapy for pulmonary fibrosis treatment with enhanced therapeutic effect based on viscoelastic hydrogel priming. | Nature Communications

Fig. 6: Schematic diagram of the constructed CAR-M therapy for pulmonary fibrosis treatment with enhanced therapeutic effect based on viscoelastic hydrogel priming.

From: Viscoelastic hydrogel primed CAR-macrophage for pulmonary fibrosis treatment

Fig. 6: Schematic diagram of the constructed CAR-M therapy for pulmonary fibrosis treatment with enhanced therapeutic effect based on viscoelastic hydrogel priming.

Macrophages were modified with anti-FAP CAR to activate fibroblasts. The CAR-Ms can treat pulmonary fibrosis not only by phagocytosing and killing activated fibroblasts but also by degrading deposited collagen. Importantly, a viscoelastic hydrogel was utilized to prime CAR-Ms, resulting in dispersed CAR distribution and strengthened cytotoxicity in vitro. Moreover, viscoelastic hydrogel-primed CAR-Ms displayed the strongest therapeutic effect, reversing fibrotic lungs to normal architecture and adjusting the pro-fibrotic immune microenvironment. The figure was created with BioRender. Lab, D. (2025) https://BioRender.com/p06jaon.

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