BAL fluid derived fibroblasts differ from biopsy derived fibroblasts in systemic sclerosis.
Author
Summary, in English
Growth of fibroblasts from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) has previously been described. The purpose of the present study was to characterise fibroblasts from BALF and bronchial biopsies from SSc patients with alveolitis and from controls, to analyse fibroblast proliferation, migration, stress fibres and proteoglycan production. BALF and bronchial biopsies were collected from 10 patients with SSc and alveolitis and from 15 controls. Outgrowth of fibroblasts was observed from the BALF of four patients, particularly in those with a markedly increased percentage of eosinophils in BALF, but not in any member of the control group. Increased levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, correlating with the percentage of eosinophils in BALF, were found in patients when compared with controls. Fibroblasts from BALF showed an elongated, mobile phenotype and increased proteoglycan production compared to the corresponding biopsy fibroblasts. In conclusion, outgrowth of fibroblasts with an altered phenotype is reported from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in systemic sclerosis patients with alveolitis and an increased percentage of eosinophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. These findings indicate a possible role for eosinophil-fibroblast interaction in pulmonary fibrosis in systemic sclerosis.
Department/s
Publishing year
2007
Language
English
Pages
446-452
Publication/Series
European Respiratory Journal
Volume
29
Issue
3
Links
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
European Respiratory Society
Topic
- Respiratory Medicine and Allergy
Keywords
- fibroblasts
- eosinophils
- pulmonary fibrosis
- granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating
- systemic sclerosis
- scleroderma
- factor
Status
Published
Research group
- Lung physiology and biomarkers
- Lung Biology
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1399-3003