ABSTRACT: Comparative Transcriptomic Profiling of Normal-Appearing and Scarred Areas of the Lungs Reveals Pathobiological Clues to Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Project description:Comparison of the gene expression profile in lungs from dogs with spontaneous canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and from control dogs with histologically normal lungs.
Project description:RATIONALE: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal disease with overtly scarred peripheral and basilar lung regions and macroscopically unaffected central lung areas. OBJECTIVES: To gain better insight into IPF pathobiology by comparing transcriptomic profiles of normal-appearing and scarred regions of IPF lung. METHODS: Lung tissue samples from macroscopically unaffected (normal-appearing, IPFn) and scarred (IPFs) regions of explanted IPF lungs were analyzed by RNASeq and compared with healthy control (HC) lung tissues. RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry were used to confirm selected findings. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Numerous previously reported IPF-associated gene expression disturbances as well as additional differentially expressed mRNAs were observed. There were profound transcriptomic changes in IPFn compared with HC tissues, which included elevated expression of extracellular matrix-, immunity- and inflammation-related mRNAs. The magnitude and statistical significance of these changes were comparable or greater than those in the IPFs-to-HC comparison. When directly compared with IPFn, IPFs tissues demonstrated elevated expression of epithelial mucociliary mRNAs. Compared with HC, both IPFn and IPFs tissues demonstrated reduced expression of mRNAs related to solute carrier membrane transport and metabolic processes. Primary fibroblast cultures from IPFn and IPFs tissues were transcriptomically identical. CONCLUSIONS: Macroscopically normal-appearing IPF tissues demonstrate profound disease activity and substantially similar transcriptomic profiles to scarred areas. Differences between these tissues are due to cell types other than fibroblasts and notably include enhanced expression of mucociliary genes in scarred areas. Deranged epithelial homeostasis or possibly non-transcriptomic factors may thus explain the marked architectural differences between normal-appearing and terminally scarred lung in end-stage IPF.
Project description:Pulmonary fibrosis results from dysregulated repair of damaged tissue caused by persistent injury of lung epithelium. Multiple cell types in the lung are involved in the process of repair. During lung fibrogenesis, normal endothelial cells (EC) are re-programmed into fibrosis-associated EC. Transcriptional factors that control re-programming are poorly understood. Using single cell RNA-sequencing of EC from donor and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) lungs, and lungs from bleomycin-treated mice, we identified endothelial transcription factors (TF) that were differentially expressed during fibrosis. Focusing on one of endothelial TF, FOXF1, we demonstrated that FOXF1 is decreased in EC within human IPF and mouse bleomycin-injured fibrotic lungs.
Project description:Pulmonary fibrosis results from dysregulated repair of damaged tissue caused by persistent injury of lung epithelium. Multiple cell types in the lung are involved in the process of repair. During lung fibrogenesis, normal endothelial cells (EC) are re-programmed into fibrosis-associated EC. Transcriptional factors that control re-programming are poorly understood. Using single cell RNA-sequencing of EC from donor and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) lungs, and lungs from bleomycin-treated mice, we identified endothelial transcription factors (TF) that were differentially expressed during fibrosis. Focusing on one of endothelial TF, FOXF1, we demonstrated that FOXF1 is decreased in EC within human IPF and mouse bleomycin-injured fibrotic lungs.
Project description:Pulmonary fibrosis results from dysregulated repair of damaged tissue caused by persistent injury of lung epithelium. Multiple cell types in the lung are involved in the process of repair. During lung fibrogenesis, normal endothelial cells (EC) are re-programmed into fibrosis-associated EC. Transcriptional factors that control re-programming are poorly understood. Using single cell RNA-sequencing of EC from donor and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) lungs, and lungs from bleomycin-treated mice, we identified endothelial transcription factors (TF) that were differentially expressed during fibrosis. Focusing on one of endothelial TF, FOXF1, we demonstrated that FOXF1 is decreased in EC within human IPF and mouse bleomycin-injured fibrotic lungs.
Project description:Microarray analysis to examine glycan-related gene expression in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Heparan sulfate 6-O-endosulfatases (Sulf1 and Sulf2) remove 6-O sulfate groups from heparan sulfate intra-chain sites on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix, and modulate the functions of many growth factors and morphogens including FGF, Wnt and TGF-beta. Works from our laboratory have shown that TGF-beta 1 induces Sulf1 and Sulf2 expression in a cell-type specific manner in the lung, specifically Sulf1 in lung fibroblasts and Sulf2 in type II alveolar epithelial cells. Interestingly TGF-beta 1-induced Sulf1 and Sulf2 in turn modulate TGF-beta 1 function in culture. The aim of this study is to examine the expression of Sulf1 and Sulf2 as well as other glycan-related genes (heparan biosynthetic enzymes, TGF-beta, FGF and Wnt signaling pathway components) in human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) lungs compared to normal lung samples. We will examine gene expression in triplicate samples from RNA of total lung homogenates from IPF and control (normal) lungs
Project description:Objective: Pulmonary complications in systemic sclerosis (SSc), including pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), are the leading cause of mortality. We compared the molecular fingerprint of SSc lung tissues and matching primary lung fibroblasts to those of normal donors, and patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). Methods: Lung tissues were obtained from 33 patients with SSc who underwent lung transplantation. Tissues and cells from a subgroup of SSc patients with predominantly PF or PAH were compared to those from normal donors, patients with IPF, or IPAH. Microarray data was analyzed using Efficiency Analysis for determination of optimal data processing methods. Real time PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to confirm differential levels of mRNA and protein, respectively. Results: We identified a consensus of 242 and 335 genes that were differentially expressed in lungs and primary fibroblasts, respectively. Enriched function groups in SSc-PF and IPF lungs included fibrosis, insulin-like growth factor signaling and caveolin-mediated endocytosis. Functional groups shared by SSc-PAH and IPAH lungs included antigen presentation, chemokine activity, and IL-17 signaling. Conclusion: Using microarray analysis on carefully phenotyped SSc and comparator lung tissues, we demonstrated distinct molecular profiles in tissues and fibroblasts of patients with SSc-associated lung disease compared to idiopathic forms of lung disease. Unique molecular signatures were generated that are disease- (SSc) and phenotype- (PF vs PAH) specific. These signatures provide new insights into pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets for SSc lung disease. Lung tissues were obtained from 33 patients with SSc who underwent lung transplantation. Tissues and cells from a subgroup of SSc patients with predominantly PF or PAH were compared to those from normal donors, patients with IPF, or IPAH. Microarray data was analyzed using Efficiency Analysis for determination of optimal data processing methods. Real time PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to confirm differential levels of mRNA and protein, respectively.
Project description:Objective: Pulmonary complications in systemic sclerosis (SSc), including pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), are the leading cause of mortality. We compared the molecular fingerprint of SSc lung tissues and matching primary lung fibroblasts to those of normal donors, and patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). Methods: Lung tissues were obtained from 33 patients with SSc who underwent lung transplantation. Tissues and cells from a subgroup of SSc patients with predominantly PF or PAH were compared to those from normal donors, patients with IPF, or IPAH. Microarray data was analyzed using Efficiency Analysis for determination of optimal data processing methods. Real time PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to confirm differential levels of mRNA and protein, respectively. Results: We identified a consensus of 242 and 335 genes that were differentially expressed in lungs and primary fibroblasts, respectively. Enriched function groups in SSc-PF and IPF lungs included fibrosis, insulin-like growth factor signaling and caveolin-mediated endocytosis. Functional groups shared by SSc-PAH and IPAH lungs included antigen presentation, chemokine activity, and IL-17 signaling. Conclusion: Using microarray analysis on carefully phenotyped SSc and comparator lung tissues, we demonstrated distinct molecular profiles in tissues and fibroblasts of patients with SSc-associated lung disease compared to idiopathic forms of lung disease. Unique molecular signatures were generated that are disease- (SSc) and phenotype- (PF vs PAH) specific. These signatures provide new insights into pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets for SSc lung disease.
Project description:To understand the cellular composition and transcriptional phenotype of fibrotic lung tissue we performed single-cell RNA-seq on stromal, immune, epithelial, and endothelial cell populations from human lung explants. Tissue was collected from normal control lungs, patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and patients with systemic sclerosis associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). Using the 10X Genomics Chromium platform, we generated transcriptional profiles of approximately 200,500 cells across 4 IPF, 3 SSc-ILD and 3 normal control lungs.
Project description:In a comparative study the genome wide methylation levels using Illumina Infinium 450k chips were assigned. The specific methylation pattern of lung cancer patients (n=17), patients suffering from idiopathic lung fibrosis (n=37) as well as 32 patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 43 DNA samples derived from healthy-lungs were determined. Lung biopsy samples were obtained by bronchoscopy. Thus obtained tissue was snap frozen in liquid nitrogen. Classification of lung fibrosis patients base on CT scans of the affected lung.