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Fibroblasts determine treatment outcome in rheumatoid arthritis

Treatment-refractory rheumatoid arthritis is a major unmet clinical need, and the mechanisms that underlie resistance to therapy remain poorly understood. Using high-resolution spatial transcriptomics, we identified a spatiotemporal process of fibrogenic remodeling that is associated with failure to respond to treatment.

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Fig. 1: Fibrogenic fibroblasts in RA synovia.

References

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This is a summary of: Bhamidipati, K. et al. Spatial patterning of fibroblast TGFβ signaling underlies treatment resistance in rheumatoid arthritis. Nat. Immunol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-025-02386-2 (2026).

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Fibroblasts determine treatment outcome in rheumatoid arthritis. Nat Immunol (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-026-02437-2

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