UPAR regulates bronchial epithelial repair in vitro and is elevated in asthmatic epithelium.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The asthma-associated gene urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) may be involved in epithelial repair and airway remodelling. These processes are not adequately targeted by existing asthma therapies. A fuller understanding of the pathways involved in remodelling may lead to development of new therapeutic opportunities. uPAR expression in the lung epithelium of normal subjects and patients with asthma was investigated and the contribution of uPAR to epithelial wound repair in vitro was studied using primary bronchial epithelial cells (NHBECs).

Methods

Bronchial biopsy sections from normal subjects and patients with asthma were immunostained for uPAR. NHBECs were used in a scratch wound model to investigate the contribution of the plasminogen pathway to re

SUBMITTER: Stewart CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3358731 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature