Huafei Wang

Huafei Wang


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 October 2025 in Journal of Clinical Investigation
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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MWMing Wang
Ming Wang
XCXu Chu
Xu Chu
ZFZhongyu Fan
Zhongyu Fan
LCLin Chen
Lin Chen
HWHuafei Wang
Huafei Wang
ZZZhengguo Zhang
Zhengguo Zhang
Bacterial infections, particularly uropathogenic E . coli (UPEC), contribute substantially to male infertility through tissue damage and subsequent fibrosis in the testis and epididymis. The role of testicular macrophages (TMs), a diverse cell population integral to tissue maintenance and immune balance, in fibrosis is not fully understood. Here, we used single-cell RNA sequencing in a murine model of epididymo-orchitis to analyze TM dynamics during UPEC infection. Our study identified a marked increase in S100a4 + macrophages, originating from monocytes, strongly associated with fibrotic changes. This association was validated in human testicular and epididymal samples. We further demonstrated that S100a4 + macrophages transition to a myofibroblast-like phenotype, producing extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen I and fibronectin. S100a4, both extracellular and intracellular, activated collagen synthesis through the TGF-β/STAT3 signaling pathway, highlighting this pathway as a therapeutic target. Inhibition of S100a4 with niclosamide or macrophage-specific S100a4 KO markedly reduced immune infiltration, tissue damage, and fibrosis in infected murine models. Our findings establish the critical role of S100a4 + macrophages in fibrosis during UPEC-induced epididymo-orchitis and propose them as potential targets for antifibrotic therapy development.