Regulation of Macrophage Foam Cell Formation During Nitrogen Mustard (NM)-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis by Lung Lipids.

ABSTRACT: Nitrogen mustard (NM) is a vesicant known to target the lung, causing acute injury which progresses to fibrosis. Evidence suggests that activated macrophages contribute to the pathologic response to NM. In these studies, we analyzed the role of lung lipids generated following NM exposure on macrophage activation and phenotype. Treatment of rats with NM (0.125 mg/kg, i.t.) resulted in a time-related increase in enlarged vacuolated macrophages in the lung. At 28 days postexposure, macrophages stained positively for Oil Red O, a marker of neutral lipids. This was correlated with an accumulation of oxidized phospholipids in lung macrophages and epithelial cells and increases in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) phospholipids and cholesterol. RNA-sequencing and immunohistochemical analysis rev

SUBMITTER: Venosa A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6876262 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature