Wnt1/βcatenin injury response activates the epicardium and cardiac fibroblasts to promote cardiac repair: Wnt1/βcatenin injury response regulates cardiac repair

The study demonstrated that the Wnt1/βcatenin injury response played a crucial role in cardiac repair following acute ischaemic cardiac injury by activating the epicardium and cardiac fibroblasts. Wnt1 was upregulated in the epicardium and cardiac fibroblasts at the injury site, leading to epicardial activation, expansion, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) to produce cardiac fibroblasts. These fibroblasts proliferated and expressed pro-fibrotic genes, aiding in cardiac repair. Disruption of Wnt signalling in epicardial cells and cardiac fibroblasts resulted in impaired cardiac function, ventricular dilatation, and decreased wound healing, highlighting the importance of the Wnt1/βcatenin pathway in maintaining cardiac function post-injury.