Alveolar epithelial cells express mesenchymal proteins in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

ABSTRACT: Prior work has shown that transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) can mediate transition of alveolar type II cells into mesenchymal cells in mice. Evidence this occurs in humans is limited to immunohistochemical studies colocalizing epithelial and mesenchymal proteins in sections of fibrotic lungs. To acquire further evidence that epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition occurs in the lungs of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), we studied alveolar type II cells isolated from fibrotic and normal human lung. Unlike normal type II cells, type II cells isolated from the lungs of patients with IPF express higher levels of mRNA for the mesenchymal proteins type I collagen, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and calponin. When cultured on Matrigel/collagen, human alveolar type II cells maint

SUBMITTER: Marmai C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3129898 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature