Matrix Stiffness Promotes Corneal Fibrosis through the YAP/TAZ-β-Catenin Mechanotransduction Pathway: Proteomic and Functional Validation

Primary human corneal fibroblasts were cultured on hydrogels with varying stiffness. Label-free quantitative proteomics revealed that increased ECM stiffness triggered widespread proteomic reprogramming, with significant enrichment in pathways related to fibrosis, Hippo signaling, cytoskeletal remodeling, and glycolysis.