What the study found
The study found a diverse set of fibrosis-associated peptides in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I immunopeptidome from fibrotic lung tissue in human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and in bleomycin-treated mice. It also found that three candidate peptides were used for therapeutic vaccination in mice, and one peptide elicited human cytotoxic T lymphocytes that lysed cells from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis tissue.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that immunopeptidome profiling provides a platform for discovering translatable antifibrotic immunotherapies. The study suggests that this approach may help prioritize therapeutic targets for fibrosis.
What the researchers tested
The researchers characterized MHC class I immunopeptidomes from fibrotic foci in human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis lung explants and from bleomycin-treated mice. They also used parallel profiling in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice for computational target prioritization, followed by therapeutic vaccination with three candidate peptides and testing of human immune cell responses to one conserved peptide.
What worked and what didn't
Therapeutic vaccination with MAF116-124, APBB270-78, and TNS3119-127 mitigated fibrosis progression in bleomycin-treated mice. MAF116-124 also elicited specific human cytotoxic T lymphocytes that lysed human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis-derived myofibroblasts and M2-like macrophages.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe detailed limitations. The findings are based on human lung explants, a mouse fibrosis model, and ex vivo human cell killing assays, so the scope described in the abstract is limited to those systems.
Key points
- The study identified a diverse repertoire of fibrosis-associated peptides in MHC class I immunopeptidomes.
- Profiling was done in human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis lung explants and bleomycin-treated mice.
- Three candidate peptides were used for therapeutic vaccination in mice and mitigated fibrosis progression.
- MAF116-124 elicited human cytotoxic T lymphocytes that lysed idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis-derived myofibroblasts and M2-like macrophages.
- The authors conclude that immunopeptidome profiling can support discovery of antifibrotic immunotherapies.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Immunopeptidome profiling identified fibrosis-associated peptides in pulmonary fibrosis
- Authors:
- Ziyi Bai, Tianxia Lan, Weiqi Hong, Haiying Que, Min Zhu, XJ Xiao, Dandan Wan, Jiayuan Ai, Huang, Jiayu Wang, Qiaonan Hong, Liu Y, Chengxin Xiao, Chengjian Zhao, Xin Wang, Xi Zhang, Ting Yang, Heng Xu, Lunzhi Dai, Charles A. Powell, Luca Richeldi, Fengming Luo, Haohao Dong, 袁勇, Qiang Pu, Xiawei Wei
- Institutions:
- Sichuan University, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic
- Publication date:
- 2026-04-20
- OpenAlex record:
- View
- Image credit:
- Photo by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases on Unsplash · Unsplash License
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