Project description:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) affects lung parenchyma with progressing fibrosis. In this study, we aimed to replicate MUC5B rs35705950 variants and determine new plausible candidate variants for IPF among four different European populations. We genotyped 26 IPF candidate loci in 165 IPF patients from four European countries, such as Czech Republic (n = 41), Germany (n = 33), Greece (n = 40), France (n = 51), and performed association study comparing observed variant distribution with that obtained in a genetically similar Czech healthy control population (n = 96) described in our earlier data report. A highly significant association for a promoter variant (rs35705950) of mucin encoding MUC5B gene was observed in all IPF populations, individually and combined [odds ratio (95% confidence interval); p-value as 5.23 (8.94-3.06); 1.80 × 10(-11)]. Another non-coding variant, rs7934606 in MUC2 was significant among German patients [2.85 (5.05-1.60); 4.03 × 10(-4)] and combined European IPF cases [2.18 (3.16-1.50); 3.73 × 10(-5)]. The network analysis for these variants indicated gene-gene and gene-phenotype interactions in IPF and lung biology. With replication of MUC5B rs35705950 previously reported in U.S. populations of European descent and indicating other plausible polymorphic variants relevant for IPF, we provide additional reference information for future extended functional and population studies aimed, ideally with inclusion of clinical parameters, at identification of IPF genetic markers.
Project description:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is marked by a very disappointing survival rate and still represents a clinical dilemma. According to the current pathogenic hypothesis, chronic damage of the alveolar epithelium is followed by abnormal tissue repair and impairment of the alveolar structure. This process is driven by pathogenic events very similar to cancer, including epigenetic and genetic changes, altered response to regulatory signals, abnormal expression of microRNAs and activation of specific signalling pathways. IPF also resembles cancer with regard to its poor response to medical treatment and prognosis, which is very often worse than many cancers. We have hypothesised that IPF might be assimilated to a neoproliferative disorder of the lung. Viewing IPF as a cancer-like disease may satisfy the need for a better understanding of the pathogenesis of IPF by exploiting the large amount of knowledge that cancer biology evokes. The recognition of common pathogenic pathways between the two diseases may stimulate new clinical trials with cancer drugs, different drug combinations and different lines of drugs, as already experimented in oncology. Moreover, the concept of IPF as a cancer-like disorder may improve the attention given to this dreadful disease on a public, political and healthcare level.
Project description:A subset of patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) develop lung fibrosis that is clinically similar to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). To address the aetiological determinants of fibrotic HP, we investigated whether the common IPF genetic risk variants were also relevant in study subjects with fibrotic HP. Our findings indicate that common genetic variants in TERC, DSP, MUC5B and IVD were significantly associated with fibrotic HP. These findings provide support for a shared etiology and pathogenesis between fibrotic HP and IPF.
Project description:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a disease related to AT2 cell. We used flow cytometry to analyze the epithelial component of donor and IPF lungs. From the live cells, we first excluded the CD31PosCD45Pos and then selected the EPCAMPos cells for further analysis using the human AT2 cell marker HTll-280 and the surface marker PD-L1. Our data indicate that, the bona fide differentiated AT2 cells (HTll-280High PD-L1Neg), were drastically reduced in the context of IPF. More interestingly, the number of HTll-280Low/Neg PD-L1High was drastically increased, suggesting that HTll-280Low PD-L1High epithelial cells could represent a pool of progenitors linked to the deficient AT2 lineage. The aim of this experiment is further characterization of AT2 and PDL1+ cells in donor and IPF.
Project description:Rationale: To identify functionally relevant common genetic risk variants associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), we performed expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) and methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTL) mapping, followed by co-localization of eQTL and mQTL with genetic association signals as well as mediation analysis. Methods: Illumina MEGA genotyping arrays, mRNA sequencing, and Illumina 850k methylation arrays were performed on lung tissue of participants with IPF (234 RNA and 345 DNA samples) and non-diseased control (188 RNA and 202 DNA samples). Transcriptome and methylome datasets were normalized for unknown batch effects using Probabilistic Estimation of Expression Residuals (PEER). eQTL, cell type-interaction eQTL, and mQTL analyses were performed in FastQTL and co-localization analysis in eCAVIAR separately for cases and controls. Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate was used for adjustment for multiple comparisons. Results: After appropriate adjustment, we identified 4,745 genes with significant eQTLs in controls and 6,047 in cases (FDR-adjusted p<0.05). Focusing on genetic variants within 10 primary IPF-associated genetic loci, we identified 27 eQTLs in controls and 24 eQTLs in cases (FDR-adjusted p<0.05). Among these signals, we identified association of rs35705950 with expression of MUC5B (Chr11 locus) and rs2076295 with expression of DSP (Chr6 locus) in both cases and controls. To address cell specificity, we performed cell type-interaction eQTL analysis and identified an association of rs2076295 with expression of DSP in smooth muscle cells. mQTL analysis identified CpGs in gene bodies of MUC5B (cg17589883) and DSP (cg08964675) associated with the lead variants in these two loci. eCAVIAR demonstrated strong co-localization of eQTL/mQTL and genetic signal in MUC5B (rs35705950) and DSP (rs2076295) in both cases and controls. Mediation analysis demonstrated partial mediation of the effect of common variants in MUC5B and DSP loci on disease risk though MUC5B and DSP gene expression. Functional validation of the mQTL in MUC5B demonstrates that the CpG is within a putative internal repressor element that interacts through a 3D loop with the enhancer containing the rs35705950 genetic variant. Conclusions: Using lung eQTL/mQTL, co-localization, and mediation analyses, we have established the functional validation of the common IPF genetic risk variants for MUC5B (rs35705950) and DSP (rs2076295). These results provide additional evidence that both MUC5B and DSP are involved in the etiology of IPF.
Project description:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating disease for patients and their loved ones. Since initial efforts to characterize this disease in the 1960s, understanding of IPF has evolved considerably. Such evolution has continually challenged prior diagnostic and treatment paradigms, ushering in an era of higher confidence diagnoses with less invasive procedures and more effective treatments. This review details how research and clinical experience over the past half century have led to a rethinking of IPF. Here, the evolution in understanding of IPF pathogenesis, diagnostic evaluation and treatment approach is discussed.
Project description:The aim of the current study is to find plasma-based biomarker candidates for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). Incidence of IPF seems to be increasing in Europe and there is significant mortality associated with IPF. There are no sensistive biomarkers for IPF and diagnosis is entirely clinical and/or histopathological which is often delayed. Minimally invasive biomarkers of IPF would be expected to aid clinicians perfrom early diagnosis of IPF enabling better management of the disease.