Delivery technologies for therapeutic targeting of fibronectin in autoimmunity and fibrosis applications.

[Display omitted] • Fibronectin's cryptic binding sites modulate cell binding by different cells to influence many biological processes. • Fibronectin is essential for coordinating the immune response, enabling efficient immune surveillance and tissue repair. • Therapeutic technologies targeting fibronectin are beneficial in non-autoimmune and autoimmune fibrotic conditions. Fibronectin (FN) is a critical component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) contributing to various physiological processes, including tissue repair and immune response regulation. FN regulates various cellular functions such as adhesion, proliferation, migration, differentiation, and cytokine release. Alterations in FN expression, deposition, and molecular structure can profoundly impact its interaction with other ECM proteins, growth factors, cells, and associated signaling pathways, thus influencing the progress of diseases such as fibrosis and autoimmune disorders. Therefore, developing therapeutics that directly target FN or its interaction with cells and other ECM components can be an intriguing approach to address autoimmune and fibrosis pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]