This study uses spatial and single-cell transcriptomics to identify immune-stromal niches in adult-onset dermatomyositis, revealing distinct cellular and cytokine signatures associated with cancer and non-cancer lesions.

Nature Communications · Jun 26, 2026Peer-reviewedImmunology

Fibroblasts neurotrophin signaling sustains pathological vascular maturation in rheumatoid arthritis.

Vikram Khedgikar, Qian Qin, Miles Tran, Shideh Kazerounian, Ce Gao, Sean A. Prell, Alexa B. R. McIntyre, Kartik Bhamidipati, Sonia Presti, PHILIP E. BLAZAR, Jeffrey K. Lange, Morgan Jones, Ellen M. Gravallese, Mihir D. Wechalekar, Kevin Wei

The paper identifies fibroblast-derived neurotrophin signaling as a driver of abnormal vascular maturation in RA synovia and shows that neurotrophin inhibitors can reverse this process.

bioRxiv · Mar 15, 2026 · PreprintMolecular Biology

Spatial patterning of fibroblast TGFβ signaling underlies treatment resistance in rheumatoid arthritis

Kartik Bhamidipati, Alexa B. R. McIntyre, Shideh Kazerounian, Ce Gao, Soon Wei Wong, Miles Tran, Sean A. Prell, Rachel Lau, Vikram Khedgikar, Christopher Altmann, Annabelle Small, Roopa Madhu, Sonia Presti, Ksenia S. Anufrieva, PHILIP E. BLAZAR, , Kevin Wei

Perivascular COMPhi fibrogenic fibroblasts expand in treatment-refractory rheumatoid arthritis synovium, where endothelial Notch signaling patterns fibroblast TGF-beta sensitivity via TGFBR3 regulation and persists despite post-treatment immune cell depletion.

Nature Immunology · Jan 15, 2026Peer-reviewedImmunology✦ In-depth digest