Hyaluronan and TLR4 promote surfactant-protein-C-positive alveolar progenitor cell renewal and prevent severe pulmonary fibrosis in mice.

ABSTRACT: Successful recovery from lung injury requires the repair and regeneration of alveolar epithelial cells to restore the integrity of gas-exchanging regions within the lung and preserve organ function. Improper regeneration of the alveolar epithelium is often associated with severe pulmonary fibrosis, the latter of which involves the recruitment and activation of fibroblasts, as well as matrix accumulation. Type 2 alveolar epithelial cells (AEC2s) are stem cells in the adult lung that contribute to the lung repair process. The mechanisms that regulate AEC2 renewal are incompletely understood. We provide evidence that expression of the innate immune receptor Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and the extracellular matrix glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan (HA) on AEC2s are important for AEC2 renewal, repai

SUBMITTER: Liang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5503150 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature