Search results for "Pulmonary fibrosi"

Mechanical strain causes adaptive change in bronchial fibroblasts enhancing profibrotic and inflammatory responses

2016

Asthma is characterized by periodic episodes of bronchoconstriction and reversible airway obstruction; these symptoms are attributable to a number of factors including increased mass and reactivity of bronchial smooth muscle and extracellular matrix (ECM) in asthmatic airways. Literature has suggested changes in cell responses and signaling can be elicited via modulation of mechanical stress acting upon them, potentially affecting the microenvironment of the cell. In this study, we hypothesized that mechanical strain directly affects the (myo)fibroblast phenotype in asthma. Therefore, we characterized responses of bronchial fibroblasts, from 6 normal and 11 asthmatic non-smoking volunteers,…

In vitro tracheal hyperresponsiveness to muscarinic receptor stimulation by carbachol in a rat model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis

2006

Summary 1 Bleomycin-induced lung injury is widely used as an experimental model to investigate the pathophysiology of pulmonary fibrosis but the alterations in the pharmacological responsiveness of airways isolated from bleomycin-exposed animals has been scarcely investigated. The aim of this study was to examine the in vitro tracheal responses to muscarinic receptor stimulation with carbachol in a rat bleomycin model. 2 Concentration–response curves to carbachol (10 nm to 0.1 mm) were obtained in tracheal rings isolated from Sprague–Dawley rats 14 days after endotracheal bleomycin or saline. The intracellular calcium signal in response to carbachol (10 μm) was measured by epifluorescence m…

Thymidine-dependent Staphylococcus aureus small-colony variants: human pathogens that are relevant not only in cases of cystic fibrosis lung disease.

2008

ABSTRACT We report the isolation of thymidine-dependent small-colony variants (TD-SCVs) of Staphylococcus aureus from unusual infection sites of patients with chronic soft tissue infection, tympanitis, bronchitis, peritonitis, and septicemia. Furthermore, we provide evidence that the essential growth factor for TD-SCVs, i.e., thymidine, and its metabolite dTMP are present in various human specimens.

Management of Toxicity Induced by Anti-EGFR Therapy in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

2013

Use of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) agents has yielded significant advances in the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. In fact these drugs, which include the monoclonal antibodies cetuximab and panitumumab, can be delivered both as a single agent and in combination with chemotherapy, achieving better survival and quality of life and in some cases also resectability of metastases. However, these agents can result in the development of toxicities that are usually different from those observed with chemotherapy alone. For the management of these adverse effects, proper knowledge is mandatory. Skin toxicity is the most frequent adverse effect. Other tox…

Lung myofibroblasts are characterized by down-regulated cyclooxygenase-2 and its main metabolite, prostaglandin E2.

2013

Background: Prostaglandin E2 (PGE(2)), the main metabolite of cyclooxygenase (COX), is a well-known anti-fibrotic agent. Moreover, myofibroblasts expressing alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), fibroblast expansion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) are critical to the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Our aim was to investigate the expression of COX-2 and PGE(2) in human lung myofibroblasts and establish whether fibroblast-myofibroblast transition (FMT) and EMT are associated with COX-2 and PGE(2) down-regulation. Methods: Fibroblasts obtained from IPF patients (n = 6) and patients undergoing spontaneous pneumothorax (control, n = 6) and alveolar epithelial ce…

SPARC oppositely regulates inflammation and fibrosis in bleomycin-induced lung damage.

2011

Fibrosis results from inflammatory tissue damage and impaired regeneration. In the context of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, we demonstrated that the matricellular protein termed secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) distinctly regulates inflammation and collagen deposition, depending on its cellular origin. Reciprocal Sparc(-/-) and wild-type (WT) bone marrow chimeras revealed that SPARC expression in host fibroblasts is required and sufficient to induce collagen fibrosis in a proper inflammatory environment. Accordingly, Sparc(-/-) >WT chimeras showed exacerbated inflammation and fibrosis due to the inability of Sparc(-/-) macrophages to down-regulate tumor necrosis …

Fibroblast Growth Facor 19, a Downregulated Factor in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Inhibits Mice Lung Fibrosis

2020

Role of JAK2/STAT3 pathway in vascular function of pulmonary fibrosis patients

2015

Background: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive lung disease with a life expectancy of 2-5 years. A proportion of IPF patients develop pulmonary hypertension (PH), characterized by vasoconstriction and remodeling of pulmonary arteries. Currently, no therapy can improve survival of patients diagnosed with this disease. JAK2/STAT3 molecular route is overexpressed in proliferative disorders, however, its role in PH- associated IPF is unknown. Objective: To analyze the role of JAK2/STAT3 in vascular function of IPF patients with PH. We hypothesized that inhibition of JAK2, STAT3 or JAK2/STAT3 may improve vascular function. Methods: Human precision cut lung slices and ar…

Visuelle Abschätzung der funktionellen Lungenanteile in der HRCT und 3He-MRT bei Patienten nach Einzel-Lungentransplantation: Vergleich mit der absol…

2005

Purpose: Visual assessment of the ventilation using HRCT and 3 He-MRI in patients after single lung transplantation (SLTX). Analysis of specific ventilation defects found with 3 He-MRI and morphological changes found with HRCT. Materials and Methods: We evaluated 8male patients (54 ′ 6 years) suffering from emphysema and six patients (3males and 3 females, 58 ′ 9.5 years) suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) after SLTX. The morphological changes at HRCT were classified and localized. In 3 He-MRI (2D FLASH), 10 to 14 slices (slice thickness 10 mm, gap 5 mm) were acquired in coronal orientation to cover the whole lung. Ventilation defects were localized and characterized. The vi…

IL-11 promotes pulmonary vascular remodeling and lung fibrosis through the activation of endothelial to mesenchymal transition

2020

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) portends a poor prognosis and currently there is no approved therapy for hypoxemic PH. IL-11 is a novel lung fibrosis mediator but its role on vascular function is unknown. Objective: To analyze the role of IL-11 on pulmonary artery remodeling and lung fibrosis in vitro and in vivo. Methods: IL-11 expression was evaluated in pulmonary arteries and lung sections of control subjects and patients with IPF, IPF+PH and idiopathic PH (PAH). Human pulmonary artery endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells were stimulated with IL-11. Endothelial to mesenchymal transition was evaluated measuring the increase of mesenchyma…