Extract We read with great interest the article by W atanabe et al . [1], which integrates spatial and single-cell transcriptomics to identify a WNT5A⁺CTHRC1⁺ myofibroblast subset and implicates p21-activated kinase 2 (PAK2) activation as a potential therapeutic driver in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). As spatial multi-omics technologies reshape our understanding of fibrotic microenvironments, defining cell-specific causal pathways and clinically actionable targets has become a central challenge in translational respiratory research.
European Respiratory Journal published a clinical update in Critical Care on 19 Mar 2026.
The item focuses on Towards causal validation and clinical translation of the PAK2-fibroblast axis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
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