TGF-β1-induced endothelial-mesenchymal transition: a potential contributor to fibrotic remodeling in atrial fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia worldwide, with an unmet therapeutic need. Fibrotic remodeling, in which collagen-producing atrial fibroblasts play a crucial role, substantially contributes to arrhythmia promotion and progression. In this issue of the JCI, Lai, Tsai, and co-authors reveal that TGF-β1 promoted endothelial-mesenchymal transition during AF and put forward the notion that, in the adult heart, atrial fibroblasts can originate from different cellular sources. These important findings extend our understanding of the origin, biology, and function of fibroblasts and offer possibilities for therapeutic targeting of fibrosis in AF.