Uncoupling between inflammatory and fibrotic responses to silica: evidence from MyD88 knockout mice.

ABSTRACT: The exact implication of innate immunity in granuloma formation and irreversible lung fibrosis remains to be determined. In this study, we examined the lung inflammatory and fibrotic responses to silica in MyD88-knockout (KO) mice. In comparison to wild-type (WT) mice, we found that MyD88-KO animals developed attenuated lung inflammation, neutrophil accumulation and IL-1β release in response to silica. Granuloma formation was also less pronounced in MyD88-KO mice after silica. This limited inflammatory response was not accompanied by a concomitant attenuation of lung collagen accumulation after silica. Histological analyses revealed that while pulmonary fibrosis was localized in granulomas in WT animals, it was diffusely distributed throughout the parenchyma in MyD88-KO mice. Robust collag

SUBMITTER: Re SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4106757 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature